Overview

In this major new interpretation of Sino-North Korean relations, Gregg A. Brazinsky argues that neither the PRC nor the DPRK would have survived as socialist states without the ideal of Sino-North Korean friendship. Chinese and North Korean leaders encouraged mutual empathy and sentimental attachments between their citizens and then used these emotions to strengthen popular commitment to socialist state building. Drawing on an array of previously unexamined Chinese and North Korean sources, Brazinsky shows how mutual empathy helped to shape political, military, and cultural interactions between the two socialist allies. He explains why the unique relationship that Beijing and Pyongyang forged during the Korean War remained important throughout the Cold War and how it continues to influence the international relations of East Asia today.

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9781009633314

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Reviews

'Cold War Comrades is a refreshing study of the Sino-North Korean relationship seen through the lens of a convoluted friendship. By guiding the readers through the front and back stages of the Cold War, Brazinsky shows us how building emotional narratives around friends and foes served state-building projects in ways much more significant than we realize.' Suk-Young Kim, author of Millennial North Korea 'Cold War Comrades shows how the existential threat of war was met with not only resistance but also affect—love for one's own nation and for the neighbor. The affect instilled between China and North Korea in what Brazinsky calls the emotional regime during the Korean War continues to resonate in the world today as we witness that statecraft and raw sentiments are inseparable.' Sonia Ryang, author of Language and Truth in North Korea 'Despite all the disputes, contradictions and tensions that have shaped Sino-Korean relations, why have both countries so consistently spoken of their shared blood, mutual struggles, and common family ties? In answering this question, Cold War Comrades brilliantly shows how emotion and culture deeply shaped politics in the socialist world. Brazinsky's research in multi-national archives pushes understanding of Sino-Korean alliance in new directions that scholars do not dare ignore.' Andre Schmid, author of North Korea's Mundane Revolution

Author Information

Gregg A. Brazinsky is Professor of History and International Affairs at The George Washington University and the author or editor of three previous books about China and Korea.

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