Final answer:
In response to China becoming communist, many Americans feared the spread of Communism and criticized the Truman administration for being 'soft' on communism. The US continued to support the Nationalist government in exile and did not recognize Mao's regime. Over time, relations evolved with key events like Nixon's 1972 visit, though initial reactions were marked by fear and geopolitical concerns.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reaction to China becoming communist elicited a spectrum of responses among Americans. After the Communist victory in China, despite $2 billion in US aid during the Chinese Civil War, due to Mao Zedong's popular support and the perceived corruption and inefficiency of Chiang Kai-shek's regime, there were significant fears and criticisms among the American public. The US had backed the nationalist movement and continued to support Chiang Kai-shek in Taiwan, refusing to recognize the Communist government.
Many Americans, influenced by the media and political discourse of the time, saw the creation of the People's Republic of China as a result of failures in U.S. foreign policy rather than a complex internal Chinese matter. This perspective was compounded by fears of a communist alliance with the Soviet Union, leading to accusations that the Truman administration was 'soft' on Communism. In terms of practical policy, Democrats were faulted for enabling the spread of Communism in Asia, and the United States maintained ties with the Nationalist government in exile, rather than Mao Zedong's Communist regime.
The Cold War tensions further framed American perceptions, with containment strategies overshadowing nuanced engagements with different forms of communism. Over time, the complex relationship between the US and Communist China evolved, with key moments such as President Nixon's visit in 1972 marking the beginning of diplomatic relations, but the initial reaction to China's shift to communism was largely one of suspicion, fear, and geopolitical rivalry.