Korean War

backround 4

Most of eastern Europe now under USSR

China became communist

1949, Stalin had own A-bomb

US spies said that USSR (Cominform) helping communist groups in Asia, and Truman feared that countries in Asia would topple to communism (dominos)

name of north Korean leader

Kim Il-sung

name of South Korean leader

Syngman Rhee

By Sep 1950, where did the South control

only a small corner in the southeast of the country, primarily around the city of Pusan.

Why was the USSR unable to stop the UN action

USSR boycotted the UN over the issue of whether Red China can join UN, so they can’t veto the Korean War

Name of the US resolution to Korea

United Nations Security Council Resolution 84

How did Truman get the UN to fight

US was the biggest contributor to the Budget and was most powerful to influence decision

How many states provided armies

18

Who was the US commander

General Douglas MacArthur

When did UN forces land

Sep 1950 in Inchon

Situation of UN forces by Oct 1950

At the Yalu river, and China was forced to fight

Situation at Nov 1950 (chinese forces) 4

in late October, 200,000 ‘People’s Volenteers) joined.

Modern weapons supplied by USSR

The chinese were more used to the geographical location of jagged mountains and cold

Politically educated and loyal

What happened April 1951 and why

McAuthur sacked

he was ready to use China and use nuclear weapons

he in March 51 threatened to attack China

What did Gen Bradley say about Mc Authur

he would have ‘involved America in he wrong war, in the wrong place, at the wrong time and with the wrong enemy’

June 1951

stalemate around 38th parallel

peace talk, but fighting continued for 2 yrs

June 1953

1952, Truman replaced by Eisenhower who wanted to end war

Stalin died in March 53 made Chinese and North Korean less confident

The 38 parallel was the ___ between 45 to 1950

border between North and South Korea

Backround info on McAuthur

• born in 1880

• Father was successful army leader

• West Point

• Youngest Commander of American army in France in WW1

• Received 13 medals for Bravery

• Commander in ww2 against Japan

• invented island hopping strategy

• Personally accepted Japan surrender 1945

• from 1945 to 1950, he controlled Japan to help it get back on its feet

• at 70yrs old, he was UN commander

• unsuccessfully run for president in 1952

How many people killed in total

1.4 Mil

How many American soldiers killed in Korean War

30,000

How many south korean soilder killed

70,000

How many South Korean civillians killed

500,000

How many UN soilders killed

4,500

How many North Korean and Chinese solders and civillians killed

780,000

Why was Korean War a success for containment

it showed USA had the wills and means to contain communism

South Korea remained not communist

Why was it not a success for containment

the USA accepted that North Korea remained communist

They through Truman had shown weakness in not going for total victory

What did US learn from Korean war

it was too expensive to send troops to fight war to contain communism

2 Method that US used after Korean war to contain communism

1. Alliances

2. developing more powerful nuclear wepons

US allaince

SEATO Southeast Asia Treaty Organization. 

CENTO Central Treaty Organization (for Centeral Asia and Middle east)

USSR repsonse to us Alliance

1955 they formed the Warsaw pact (except yugoslavia)

Effect of Korean War on US and USSR weopns

arms race to build more powerful weapons and put them where it could threaten enemy

When did war start

June 25, 1950

Backround of Syngman Rhee 9

• conservative

• studied in Harvard and Princeton

• study in US for 35 yrs

• does not know much about korea

• anti communist

• fluent in english

• lacked support in korea

• ruthless and corrupt

• us puppet

Korea before Japan ivasion

independent nation with king

Background to Kim il Sung 6

• was a communist guerrilla fighter in Manchuria against Jap

• Supported by Soviets

• Chairman of People’s Assembly of North Korea

• Well like and supported

• land reform

• ruthless

Situation of North Korea

• Poverty and inflation

• Public show trials

Situation of South

Poverty and Inflation

Solders put down riots

Rhee arrest any left wing people

Why did both side try to do before war start

make incursions

Background of China

• 1927 Mao has been fighting civil war

• Stalin fears Mao

• PRC in ‘49, and US fear that the balance has changed in East

How much US aid to Chaing

2 mil

but corrupt and inflation weaken his support

What did US fear when China became communist

the domino theory

Stalin and China in Feb 1950 signed the Sino Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance

Stalin break another Yalta Pledge - not to break the status quo in Asia

What did US do in response to China going communist

speed up creation of H-bomb

state department increase budget from 13 to 50 bil $

What did Stalin at first feel nervous about invading ROK

Kim asked for permission

Stalin was reluctant

but China is now communist and USSR have A bomb

Stalin was embarrassed by the Berlin Airlift

Why did Stalin eventually agree to allow Kim’s attack

China is communist

USSR now have A-bomb

Mao’s quote about US intervention

Mao to Kim

‘they [USA] would not start a 3rd world war over such small territory’

What did Moscow do to help North prepare

provided weapons, pilots (who fought and some pretended to be Chinese), advisors and tanks

but Stalin ordered his advisor to leave as the war began

What was the initial North Korean attack

7 infantry divisions, with 1 armoured (T 34)

What is containment

stop something from spreading and to keep it in place (Success, as South Korea remained)

What is rollback

Rollback was the idea that the USA should push communism back, not just stop it from spreading (Failure, as North Korea and Chinese fought back)

UN decision to fight

Jan 1950, USSR walked out in protest because Red China was not allowed to join UN

25th June 1950, UN Security Council condemned North Korea's invasion of South Korea.

How did US make it look legit

he used the UN

Truman often used phrases like ‘Police Action’, ‘Collective Security’, ‘UN action’

How was the UN’s decision Stalin fault and how did it threaten him?

He misread the west that they would not fight

and his pacific fleet is located in Vladivostok

How to evaluate for 10 marker

What are they trying to do? → Success or Not?

Rollback → Not Success, due to their policy shift invading north

Containment → Successful