The Korean War

  • 1910-45- Korea is controlled by Japan

  • 1945- Japanese troops surrender to Soviet Russians in the North and Americans in the South

  • The dividing line is set as the 38th Parallel

  • 1947- UNO calls for free and fair elections for a democratic government for the whole of Korea.

  • 1948- elections are held in the south under UN supervision. Syngman Rhee is elected and his parliament is based in Seoul. Meanwhile, the Soviets establish the DPRK under the leadership of Kim Il-Sung, based in Pyongyang.

  • June 1950- North Korea invades the South, due to Kim wanting to unite Korea under Communist rule. He has the support of Stalin and Mao, his armed forces are stronger and an American response is unlikely as China is now Communist and Soviet Russia has created the atom bomb in August 1949. Additionally, leading US politicians have been making statements that suggest that Korea is not America’s priority.

  • The UN meets on the same day that North Korean troops cross the border- 25th June 1950. The Security Council passes a resolution, made possible by Russia’s absence from the meeting (this is a protest against the refusal of China to allow communist China into the UN). It demands that North Korea remove their troops from the South, claiming that this attack is ‘a breach of the peace.’ However, it becomes clear that North Korea would not withdraw their troops.

  • The UN meets again on the 27th June 1950 and passes another resolution, recommending that member states should provide assistance to South Korea in order to prevent the armed attack. Ten days later, another resolution is passed, clarifying that America will be leading the attack against North Korea.

  • Troops mainly from the Commonwealth and Western Europe are sent to assist South Korea.

  • America is worried:

    • it is closely associated with the South Korean government

    • its policy of containment teaches that all of Korea’s becoming Communist may lead to the rest of Europe and Asia doing the same

    • the invasion is assumed to be related to Moscow, as America sees all Communist expansion as coming from here.

    • Specifically, if South Korea is conquered by the North, America is afraid lest Formosa become conquered by China. In this case, Japan would be threatened (as America’s main ally in the Far East). They are trading partners and America is Japan’s economic benefactor.

    • common belief is that the best way to prevent the spread of Communism is to nip it in the bud.

    • the UN’s actions are very much American here: their forces are commanded by General MacArthur, half of the ground forces are American, 90% of the air forces are American and 85% of the naval forces are, also, American.

There are military phases to the invasion:

  1. June-September 1950- success for North Korea. Their forces capture most of South Korea, capturing Seoul. South Korean and UN troops are confined to Pusan in the south-east.

  2. September-October 1950- Success for the UN. The American forces launch a two-pronged counterattack. The UN breaks through the Pusan perimeter and heads north; and MacArthur leads a seaborne attack on the West Coast at Inchon, 200 miles behind Communist lines. Seoul is recaptured and North Korean troops are driven back across the 38th Parallel. The original mission is accomplished.

  3. October-November 1950- UN tries to reunite Korea. UN forces continue to press north to try and achieve a ‘UN objective’ of a “unified, independent and democratic government” for all of Korea. Communist resistance is minimal and progress is swift. Pyongyang is captured on the 19th October and over a month later American troops reach the Yalu river on the border with China.

  4. November 1950-January 1951- the Chinese attack. China fears an invasion and launches a counteroffensive. The UN is driven south and across the 38th Parallel again. Seoul is captured by Communists again in January and UN forces are stabilised on the 37th Parallel halfway through the month.

  5. January-July 1951- the UN counterattack. The UN forces China and North Korea back to the 38th Parallel. Seoul is retaken by the Capitalists in March. General MacArthur argues that nuclear weapons should be used against China. He disobeys orders and is dismissed by Truman and replaced by General Ridgway.

  6. July 1951-July 1953- stalemate leading to an armistice. Negotiations begin at Panmunjom and last for two years, while fighting continues across the frontier. Little territory is gained by either side, even though many soldiers die in numerous battles.

Results of the war for the UNO:

  • UNO action over Korea shows its superiority to the League of Nations

  • However, it fails to achieve its objective of a “unified, independent and democratic government” for Korea.

  • It’s also a showcase of some major misjudgements (like when General MacArthur tells Truman that China wouldn’t invade if UN forces cross the 38th Parallel in October.) 4m Koreans die in the war, and more suffer from homelessness and destitution.

  • Its actions are only possible due to America’s refusal to admit Communist China to the UN and the Soviet’s protest against this decision.