* this is useful for the crises part of the Cold War
Causes
- 25 June 1950 : 90,000 soldiers in North Korea invade
- Failure to take action would undermine containment of USA
- Turning point of NSC-68, as they had to immediately send aid to South Korea
- UN was asked to sanction military action (passed in 27 June 1950)
- No veto from USSR as they were boycotting SC
- 1 July 1950: US+15 nations → led by MacArthur (US)
- Persuaded US citizens to raise military budget
- Cold War went global
- Stage 1: Communists win
- North Korea invades through the ENTIRE Korea until Pusan
- Supported by weapons/troops of USSR
- Stage 2: US counter-attack
- August 1950: Amphibious assault (naval ships) in Inchon
- Contained until 38th parallel
- Policy of rollback crossed into the NK Border
- Stage 3: China’s counter-attack
- November 1950: 200,000 Chinese, 150,000 NKs counter-attack
- UN retreat, NK recaptured in December
- Stage 4: Stalemate
- 38th parallel → Truman wanted containment, MacArthur wanted nuclear bomb and McA fired
- Peace talks in 1951
- Armistice in 1953
Causes
- Failure to reunite Korea
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- 1945 – allies agree to temporary divide Korea and have a provisional government = later allow Korean independence
- Never achieved independence due to the height of the Cold War
- US and USSR tried to install their own parties
- US = Synghman Rhee (hard-core left wing, unliked)
- USSR = Kim Il Sung (communist faction)
- 1947 – talks break down, US goes to UN
- UN wants free elections but not allowed in North Korea
- 1948 – May, South has separate elections (undemocratic and anti-communist)
- Synghman Rhee is elected and recognised by the UN
- September – NK sets up DPRK by Kim Il Sung, recognised by communists
- 1945 – allies agree to temporary divide Korea and have a provisional government = later allow Korean independence
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- Role of the USA
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- After divisions, USSR removed troops in 1948, US in 1949
- This increased a power vacuum
- Acheson’s speech in Jan 1950 suggested that US would not be involved in asia
- Kim saw this as an opportunity
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- Role of Kim Il Sung
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- Both Rhee and Kim wanted to reunite Korea on their own terms
- KIS tried to persuade Stalin and China
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- Role of Stalin
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- Supported plans for war in 1950
- They were hopeful of winning
- Stalin was an opportunist
- Communist victory in China and USSR bomb – persuaded Stalin to act
- Increased anti communist Japan = threatened Stalin’s control
- Supported plans for war in 1950
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- Role of Mao
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- Initially skeptical
- Kim persuaded Mao that stalin was PUMPED
- Mao wanted support from Stalin so he could attack Taiwan
- So mao = support
Consequences
- USA
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- Catalyst of the cold war – increased negative reactions
- Heightened US fears of communism , NSC approved
- US cooperates with NATO, Greece, Western Germany, Turkey
- US cooperated with Japan, builds military bases/stimulated econ (1952)
- US ❤ Taiwan and isolates China (<3 CKS)
- US and SEATO (anti-communist bloc)
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- Korea
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- 300,000 civilians
- Huge property damages
- Permanently divided until now (comm v capp)
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- China
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- Reputation increased after war as they pusshed US forces, which boosted communism in China
- Divide between Stalin and Mao
- Stalin did not help China throughout the War
- China increased independence
- Taiwan was defended by the USA and Mao’s dream = harder
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- USSR
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- Tacit consent
- Weakened USSR as USA increased spending
- Increased Alliance and increased troops
- West GM, Europe, Asia
- Wider, global conflict was bad for the economy (stretched)
- Increased Alliance and increased troops
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- South East Asia
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- Asia now a battleground
- vietnam, cambodia, malaysia sought independence from colonial powers
- Some were communist and relied on CN and USSR for support
- US confused these movements as being allied with USSR – led to vietnam
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- Cold War
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- Globalised cold war
- No longer EU conflict
- Increase militarization
- US 10% GNP military
- Ussr army increased 3m from 2.8
IB Wisdom 