8: Korean War (1950-1953) – Comprehensive Study Flashcards

These flashcards cover major causes, events, leaders, international responses, and consequences of the Korean War, enabling comprehensive review for exams or discussions.

During which years did Japan rule Korea, and how was this rule typically described?

Japan ruled Korea from 1910 to 1945, exercising an extremely harsh, authoritarian "iron-fist" control that left Koreans with few rights and brutally suppressed resistance.

What decision about Korea was made at the Potsdam Conference of July 1945?

Allied leaders agreed Korea should become independent but could not agree on its future government, leading to a temporary division and occupation along the 38th parallel.

Why did the United States and the Soviet Union fail to set up a unified provisional government for Korea in 1946-47?

Deep mutual distrust and ideological differences made each superpower fear the other’s dominance, so they could not agree on how to reunify Korea under a single administration.

What is the historical significance of the 38th parallel in the context of Korea?

The 38th parallel served as the temporary military demarcation line in 1945, separating Soviet forces in the North from U.S. forces in the South and later becoming the inter-Korean border.

Name two key characteristics of Kim Il Sung’s leadership in North Korea.

He built a cult of personality as the "Great Leader" and promoted Juche (self-sufficiency), which contributed to North Korea’s political isolation.

How did Syngman Rhee rule South Korea after becoming president in 1948?

Rhee governed as an authoritarian anti-communist, using force and purges (e.g., Jeju Massacre) to eliminate political opponents.

On what date was the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) officially proclaimed?

9 September 1948.

When were national elections held in the South that led to the creation of the Republic of Korea (ROK)?

May 1948, leading to the formal establishment of the ROK in August 1948.

When did Soviet and U.S. occupation troops withdraw from Korea, respectively?

Soviet troops withdrew in 1948; U.S. troops agreed to withdraw by June 1949.

What was Dean Acheson’s initial "defensive perimeter" and how did it affect South Korea?

Acheson’s early 1950 speech excluded South Korea from America’s primary defense line, signaling limited U.S. willingness to protect the ROK before NSC-68 revised policy.

What characterized border clashes along the 38th parallel during 1949?

Intense skirmishes included South Korean attacks on North Korean installations, foreshadowing full-scale war.

Why did the communist victory in China in October 1949 heighten superpower interest in Korea?

A large communist bloc now bordered Korea, causing the U.S. to fear further spread of communism and the USSR to see new chances to expand its influence.

What was the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance (February 1950)?

An agreement binding China and the USSR to cooperate militarily and economically, encouraging communist solidarity in East Asia and indirectly supporting North Korea.

How did NSC-68 (April 1950) change U.S. foreign policy?

It called for major military buildup and global, assertive containment of communism, making U.S. intervention in Korea more likely.

Why was Stalin initially hesitant to back a North Korean invasion?

He prioritized consolidating Eastern Europe and feared stretching Soviet resources or provoking direct war with the United States.

What convinced Kim Il Sung he could attack the South in 1950?

He gained Soviet weapons, Chinese sympathy, and believed rapid victory before U.S. reaction was possible.

On what date did the Korean War begin?

25 June 1950, when North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel.

How did the USSR’s boycott of the UN Security Council affect the early war?

Absent the Soviet veto, the U.S. secured UN resolutions condemning North Korea and authorizing military assistance to the South.

Who commanded the principal UN forces in Korea, and which nation provided the largest contingent?

General Douglas MacArthur led UN forces, with the United States supplying the largest troop contingent.

Why did China intervene in the Korean War in late 1950?

Mao sought to protect Chinese borders, demonstrate China’s new power, and honor the Sino-Soviet alliance while tying down U.S. forces.

List two major reasons the war dragged on for two years after reaching stalemate in 1951.

(1) The U.S. adopted tough armistice terms, especially over POW repatriation; (2) Mao and Stalin saw benefit in protracted fighting to sap U.S. resources and train Chinese troops.

When was the Korean Armistice Agreement signed, and what did it accomplish?

27 July 1953; it ended active fighting, established the DMZ, and left Korea technically still at war without a peace treaty.

Describe the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) created after the armistice.

A 250-km-long, heavily fortified buffer strip roughly 2 km wide on each side of the military demarcation line, intended to separate North and South Korean forces.

Approximately how many casualties resulted from the Korean War?

Roughly 3–4 million total casualties, including about 1.4 million deaths.

How badly was North Korea’s infrastructure damaged by U.S. bombing?

Around 70 % of its textile and chemical industries and 51 % of mining capacity were destroyed, leaving severe economic devastation.

What dispute over prisoners-of-war complicated the armistice talks?

Both sides disagreed on forced versus voluntary repatriation, with allegations of mistreatment and non-return of POWs.

How did the Korean War influence U.S. containment strategy in Asia?

It convinced Washington to extend containment beyond Europe, station forces in South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines, and create new anti-communist alliances.

What was SEATO, and when was it founded?

The Southeast Asian Treaty Organisation, founded in 1954, was a U.S.-led anti-communist alliance to contain communism in Southeast Asia.

What was CENTO, and what region did it cover?

The Central Treaty Organisation (1954) formed an anti-communist security belt across Central Asia and the Middle East.

By how much did U.S. active military forces expand during the Korean War?

The United States roughly doubled its armed forces by 1951.

How did NATO members respond militarily during the Korean conflict?

They increased defense spending to over 12 % of GDP by 1953 and deployed 15 divisions in West Germany.

Define a "proxy war" and explain why the Korean War fits this definition.

A proxy war is an indirect conflict in which rival powers support opposing sides without fighting each other directly; in Korea, the U.S. and USSR supplied and guided their allies without fielding troops against one another.

In what sense was the Korean War also a civil war?

It involved North and South Koreans battling for national reunification under competing ideologies, independent of external superpower motives.

What is meant by a "cult of personality," and who exemplified it during the Korean War era?

A cult of personality is the glorification of a leader through propaganda to inspire unquestioning loyalty; Kim Il Sung cultivated such an image in North Korea.

What does the term "Juche" signify in North Korea’s ideology?

Juche denotes national self-reliance and independence from foreign influence, a core principle promoted by Kim Il Sung.

What happened during the Jeju Massacre (1948-49)?

South Korean forces under Syngman Rhee brutally suppressed a left-wing uprising on Jeju Island, killing tens of thousands of civilians and dissidents.

What is the Joint Security Area (JSA)?

The only section of the DMZ where North and South Korean soldiers stand face-to-face; it serves as a site for negotiations and diplomatic meetings.

What were the main provisions of the Korean Armistice Agreement?

Ceasefire of hostilities, creation of the DMZ, establishment of the Military Armistice Commission, and no final peace treaty.

When did Korea become a Japanese protectorate and when was it annexed?

Protectorate status in 1905, full annexation by Japan in 1910.

Why were local political committees formed by Koreans in 1945?

To fill the power vacuum after Japanese surrender, maintain order, and replace Japanese or collaborationist officials.

How did the Soviet Union respond to the UN’s call for free Korean elections in 1947?

The USSR barred UN observers from the North and refused to hold elections there, preventing all-Korea balloting.

By what date had U.S. combat troops largely departed South Korea before the war began?

June 1949.

What strategic calculations motivated Mao Zedong before committing Chinese forces to Korea?

Balancing fear of U.S. advance toward Chinese borders with a desire to assert China’s strength and honor the Sino-Soviet pact, Mao opted for limited "volunteer" intervention.

Why is the Korean War regarded as the first military conflict of the Cold War?

It was the earliest instance where the superpower rivalry translated into open warfare—albeit indirectly—setting patterns for future proxy contests and alliance building.