ABSTRACT
Commentators are fond of citing Sino-American rapprochement as being a great departure from the preceding period, a period they view as having been characterized by the intransigent attitudes of consecutive American administrations which refused to reevaluate their positions. The transformation of American foreign policy toward China partly resulted from a series of direct or indirect Sino-American confrontations over Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. In tracing the history of Sino-American relations, one can say that until 1945 America had no China policy at all. In spite of all the emotional commitment to China which caused Americans to be "shocked" at its loss, China never has been a serious issue in any domestic election at any level in the United States. Since 1969, scholars studying Sino-American relations have debated whether to give China or the United States credit for initiating the thaw. Soviet policy seems to be to nullify any advantages to China which have arisen from Sino-American rapprochement.
