Images of China in U.S. Foreign Policy Making

摘要

This thesis tests the hypothesis that the U.S. policy makers represented by Secretary of State Dean Acheson during the Truman Administration adopted a hostile image of Communist China after the Chinese intervention in the Korean War. To examine Acheson's image of Communist China, the research used the content analysis method to analyze his statements, and a computer-based analysis program DICTION 7.0 was used to obtain more objective evidence. From analyzing the results scores of the aggressive and optimistic tone in the statements regarding Communist China the research showed that an aggressive tone significantly increased after the Chinese intervention, indicating a change in Acheson's view of China. Although the optimistic tone in Acheson s statements regarding Communist China did not significantly change, which suggests less support for the hypothesis, manual analysis of the statements was presented to explain the results; Acheson did not have an optimistic view of Communist China from the beginning, so there was little change even after the Chinese intervention in the Korean War. With the supporting results and explanations, this thesis argues that Acheson did develop a hostile image of Communist China after the Chinese intervention in the Korean War.