After the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, which saw the establishment of the People's Republic of China and the banishment of the Nationalist government to the island of Taiwan (also called the Republic of China), there has been intense enmity between the two republics. In 1958, just three years after the First Taiwan Strait Crisis, the PRC once again made an attempt to seize control of Taiwan from the Chinese Nationalist Party.
In August 1958, the communist forces of PRC tried to land on Dongding Island. When that failed, they began shelling the islands of Kinmen (Quemoy) and the Matsu Islands. In response, the United States dispatched several Super Sabres, Voodoos, Starfighters, and Canberras to Taiwan to demonstrate support for the island nation. Among those dispatched were several modified F-86 Sabre fighters equipped with newly developed and still secret AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.
An F-15 Eagle aircraft armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow missiles. Photo credit: The U.S. National Archives
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