Editing World War III (section)

=== Sino-Soviet border conflicts: 2 March – 11 September 1969 ===
{{Main|Sino-Soviet border conflict}}
The [[Sino-Soviet border conflict]] was a seven-month undeclared military border war between the [[Soviet Union]] and [[China]] at the height of the [[Sino-Soviet split]] in 1969. The most serious of these border clashes, which brought the world's two largest [[communist state]]s to the brink of war, occurred in March 1969 in the vicinity of [[Sino-Soviet border conflict#Battle of Zhenbao (Damansky) Island|Zhenbao (Damansky) Island]] on the [[Ussuri River|Ussuri (Wusuli) River]], near [[Manchuria]].

The conflict resulted in a ceasefire, with a return to the status quo. Critics point out that the Chinese attack on Zhenbao was to deter any potential future Soviet invasions; that by killing some Soviets, China demonstrated that it could not be 'bullied'; and that Mao wanted to teach them 'a bitter lesson'.

[[Sino-Soviet relations|China's relations with the USSR]] remained sour after the conflict, despite the border talks, which began in 1969 and continued inconclusively for a decade. Domestically, the threat of war caused by the border clashes inaugurated a new stage in the [[Cultural Revolution]]; that of China's thorough militarization. The [[9th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party]], held in the aftermath of the [[Zhenbao Island incident]], confirmed Defense Minister [[Lin Biao]] as [[Mao Zedong]]'s heir apparent.

Following the events of 1969, the Soviet Union further increased its [[Soviet Armed Forces|forces]] along the [[China–Russia border|Sino-Soviet border]], and in the [[Mongolian People's Republic]].