The widening of the Cold War, 1949-55

When did Japan surrender?

* September 1945

Who was General Douglas MacArthur?

* Supreme Commander of US forces, SCAP in Japan

What was the reverse course?

* the policy adopted as early as 1947, in order to facilitate the reconstruction of post-war Japan
* meant the US was not focused on punishment or seizure of reparations
* they wanted a development of democratic institutions and political stability

What did the reverse course look like in action?

* Dodge was appointed to economic advisor to the SCAP
* Dodge and Ikeda (Japanese Finance Minister), produced a ‘super balanced budget’ which set a target for s surplus of $4m
* US demanded Japan join GATT

What was Japan’s value for the USA?

* in 1948 American general warned Truman that if Japan fell under communist influence, the USSR would gain an additional war-making potential of 25%

How did Japan’s geopolitical significance shift?

* After the emergence of communism in China and Korean War, Japan became a crucila component in the USA’s quest to contain communism in Asia
* Yoshida (Prime minister) saw an oppurtunity to renegotiate WW2 treaties

What was the San Francisco Treaty?

* Sept 1951
* recognised full sovereignty of Japan
* Japan renounced claim to surrounding territories (Korea and Formosa)

The US-Japan Security Treaty

* 1951
* This gave the US:
* unrestricted use of military bases in Japan
* Administrative control of Okinawa
* the right to use military force to intervene in internal disorder in Japan
* The right to veto offering military bases to other states

When did the PRC declare victory?

* October 1949

Stalin’s role in China

* he secretly helped the CCP
* i.e. Soviet advisors set up military schools on the Siberian frontier
* however, Jieshi had agreed to give Stalin Manchuria and Outer Mongolia
* Treaty of Friendship August 1945

Why did the GMD fail?

* they were corrupt and did not listen to advice
* US aid supplies were regularly hijacked
* blood plasma donated by the American Red Cross was on sale in Shanghai for $25 a pint

The Sino Soviet Treaty of Friendship

* February 1950

China and the USA

* since 1899 the USA had practice the Open Door policy in regard to China
* the outbreak of the Chinses Civil War frustrated Truman’s plan to stabilise China and form a coalition govt
* convince Mao was a Soviet puppet he provided Jieshi with backing
* There was China lobby Congress,; Truman gave $2.8b in aid to the GMD

The GMD regime in Taiwan

* bankrolled by gold silver and $200m worht of banknotes
* Jiang declared the ROC to be China’s legitimate government
* The GMD regime was deeply repressive

What was the China White Paper?

* defined policy to China
* should be done secretly to not reinforce a Sino-Soviet alliance
* attempted to justify Us military withdrawal of support for Jiang

Defensive Perimeter Strategy

* Jan 1950
* focused on the military security of the Pacific
* omitted Korea from its defensive cordon

NSC-68

* Apr 1950
* stressed the urgency of building the USA political, economic and military power
* focused on the globalisation of the Cold War and military emphasis of containment

The situation of Korea in 1945

* the sudden collapse of the Japanese at the end of WW2 left a power vacuum
* Rhee in the south, Sung in the North

What was Syngman Rhee’s stance?

* a nationalist and virulent anti-communist
* argued that defending a border with Manchuria was better than with the 38th parallel

What was Kim Il Sung’s stance?

* committed to using force to achieve unification

Factors influencing the Soviets decision

* a war might bring in the USA
* a united communist Korean state would be a positive outcome
* Kim Il Sung could turn to China, undermining Soviet influence
* The USSR had nuclear technology by 1950

What provoked China’s involvement?

* When Truman ordered the US 7th Fleet to defend Taiwan

How did the US response?

* The USSR was boycotting the Security Council at this point
* so the US legitimised intervention under a UN banner

The Costs of the Korean War

* Deaths
* 3.5-4m Korean civilians
* 1.2m combatants from all sides
* Destruction
* significant damage to Korean infrastructure in the North
* the USA dropped 635,000 tons of bombs on Korea

Possible causes of the Korean War

* Superpower Conflicts
* Internal Korean conflict

The Autumn Rising

* 1946
* railroad worker strike in the South sparked a peasant uprising

The Jeju Rising

* 1948
* 14-30000 were killed or executed by Rhee’s government

The Yeosu-Suncheon Rebellion

* Oct 1948
* caused by suppression of Jeju Uprising and refusal of Yeosu soldiers to suppress it
* Americans suppressed the Rebellion

The Battle of Chosin Reservoir

* a month after China joined the war
* marked the complete withdrawal of UN troops from North Korea