A long overdue contribution to the study of Cold War history and Chinese foreign policy, Contending with Contradictions provides an incisive interpretation of China's relations with Poland and its irreversible impact on the communist world. Mercy A. Kuo provides a unique contribution to the miniscule corpus of literature on the subject. Her approach is threefold: Kuo offers a comprehensive interpretation of the historical relevance of the PRC's policy towards Soviet Eastern Europe during this era; she sheds new light on the intentions of the Chinese Communist Party; and, finally, her research for the book was based on an archival approach, utilizing post-1989 declassified sources. Because this area of Cold War history has long been understudied--and certainly without the benefit of newly available archival materials--Kuo's study is the first of its kind.