KOREAN WAR(1950-1953)

THE COLD WAR BEYOND EUROPE

Differences in Political System

USA

Democracy• Its government was

chosen in free democratic elections

USSR

Communism• One-party

dictatorship.• Elections held but all

candidates belonged to the Communist Party

Differences in beliefs and ideas

USA

Capitalist• Business and

property owned by private individuals

USSR

state-owned• Business owned and

managed by the government

Differences in beliefs and ideas

USA

Freedom• Individual rights were

protected; the government did not interfere with people’s lives

USSR

Control• The state was more

important than the individual, so people’s lives were tightly controlled

Why did differing beliefs lead to conflict ?

• Each believed that theirs was the best• USA – worried that Russia was trying to spread

communism throughout Europe and the rest of the world• Believed that other countries should be run in the

American way.• USSR – believed that capitalist countries wanted to

undermine communism in Russia • Believed that other countries should be run in the

communist way. SO?

Policy of USA

• ‘contain’ communism, that is ‘to stop communism from spreading’

‘Policy of containment’

Policy of USA : what influenced it in the 1950s?

• 1949 : China communist – massive huge communist state

• American spies reported to President Truman that Stalin was using Cominform (Communist Information Bureau – coordinates work of the Communist

Parties of eastern Europe ) to help Communists win power in Malaya, Indonesia, Burma, the Philippines and Korea

Effect on USA?

Policy of USA : what influenced it in the 1950s?

anxiety conspiracy : communist countries acting

together to spread communism visions of the communists overrunning all

of Asia, with country over country being toppled like a row of dominoes

Explains their reaction when South Korea was invaded in 1950

SOURCE A

THE KOREAN WAR

A grief stricken American infantryman whose buddy has been killed in action is comforted by another soldier. In the background a corpsman methodically fills out casualty tags, Haktong-ni area, Korea. August 28, 1950. Sfc. Al Chang. (Army)

MAPS

Korean War

Background on Korea:

Map of Korea

• 1904 -1945 – Japan controlled Korea • August 1945 : Russian forces in the NORTH, American troops the SOUTH•The two halves were divided by the 38th parallel•intended to be temporary•Both armies would be withdrawn from their respective areas so that the United Nations (UN) could organise an election for a united Korea•When the Cold War began, no agreement could be reached for its reunification

Background

•The American and Russian zones of occupation became in practice, 2 separate states. This was formalised in 1948.

•

Background

•Capitalist and mainly agricultural South – Syngman Rhee (Republic of Korea est. 1948) anti-communist, not very democratic

•Communist North – Kim II Sung (Democratic Republic of Korea) Soviet style, one party system

• Each side was supported by the respective superpower even though they withdrew troops (Soviet Union in 1948) and USA in 1949

Background

Korean War

Background on Korea:

North Korea (Kim Il Sung) South Korea (Syngman Rhee)

Korean War

Background on Korea:

• Both favoured authoritarian regime and resented their country’s division

Korean War

After separation:

•Soviet Union wanted unification under Kim, US wanted unification under Rhee even though both withdrew their troops between 1948 & 1949

Korean War

Russia’s concerns & role:

• USSR shared a common border with Korea

• Korea under Kim’s rule would strengthen its security

• give access to natural resources like water (HEP)

• keeps Japan at bay

• involved indirectly by sanctioning Kim’s intention of invading South Korea

• opportunity to attack South Korea was available after America’s announcement of its defensive perimeter

Korean War

Russia’s concerns & role:

• Kim made known his plans to Stalin and Mao; soviet military experts helped draw up final plan of attack

Factors that were in Kim’s favour:

1. Rhee’s growing unpopularity in the south

2. Growing evidence of support for communism in the south

3. Fervent desire to re-unite Korea; strong nationalist and revolutionist desires

4. Pre-existing civil wars between the north and south

Korean War

USA’s concerns:

• Initially focused on Japan in its policy towards Asia

• Demilitarisation and democratisation of Japan

• With the start of the cold war, control of Japan became even more crucial – to contain the threat of Soviet expansion and communism across Asia

• Communist Party of Japan gaining popularity due to damages incurred by Japan’s industries and agriculture

Korean War

USA’s concerns:

• As cold war progresses, USA recognised that communist forces in China, South Korea and Vietnam ought to be contained – supported anti-communist forces in these countries

• However, American policy of containment was not very successful – by 1950, it had ‘lost’ China to communism and communist forces were growing in strength in Indochina and Kim was determined to reunite Korea under his authoritarian rule

Korean WarUSA’s involvement in the war:

• Supplied troops and military supplies to South Korea

• Pushed for resolution through UN security council for military action to be taken by UN members against North Korea

Question : Why didn’t the Soviet Union use its veto rights?

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=2545

Motivation behind USA’s involvement:

• Domino theory

• Conspiracy theory behind the invasion

• to send a strong signal to the international community on its strong commitment to resist the spread of communism

"The Security Council, "HAVING DETERMINED that the armed attack upon the Republic of Korea by forces from North Korea constitutes a breach of the peace, "HAVING CALLED FOR an immediate cessation of hostilities, and "HAVING CALLED UPON the authorities of North Korea to withdraw forthwith their armed forces to the 38th parallel, and "HAVING NOTED from the report of the United Nations Commissionfor Korea that the authorities in North Korea have neither ceased hostilities nor withdrawn their armed forces to the 38th parallel and that urgent military measures are requred to restore international peace and security, and "HAVING NOTED the appeal from the Republic of Korea to the United Nations for immediate and effective steps to secure peace and security, "RECOMMENDS that the Members of the United Nations furnish such assistance to the Republic of Korea as may be necessary to repel the armed attack and to restore international peace and security in the area."

UN Resolution of 27 June 1950

China’s concerns:China wanted to maintain North Korea as a buffer state from the Americans in Japan and South Korea. They saw the American invasion as a threat to their borders.

China’s involvement in the war:

Attacked South Korea and American troops at the end of October.

Came about as a result of MacArthur’s troops reaching the Yalu River, close to Chinese border.

ignored Chinese warning that they would attack should Mac Arthur moved further

Korean War

The conflict became larger to involve Russian supportedChinese troops and the American allies on the other.

Finally, in 1951 an armistice was signed and and in 1953 a treaty was signed agreeing a frontier along the 38th Parallel bordered by a demilitarised zone.

The Korean War was the first time in history when countriesallied together to prevent a foreign invasion.

Who are the Key Players in the Korean War?

North Korea? South Korea?

The Key Players

• Truman• Syngman Rhee – SK• UN• MacArthur• Bradley

• Kim Il Sung - NK• Mao Tse Tung• Stalin

Korean War

The Actual War:

Please read Todd (2001) Democracies & Dictatorships

pp. 216-219

http://www.johndclare.net/cold_war10.htm

Korean WarConsequences of the war:

• allowed for the acceptance of NSC 68 (National Security Council Report) reference to background of report:

http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/nsc-hst/index.html

• marked the start of the Cold War arms race (conventional and nuclear)

• high increases in USA’s military budget to position itself as a global ‘policeman’ against communism – by 1953, US military production was 700% higher than in 1950

• Japan’s economy ballooned – boosted by the US troops stationed in Japan

• Sovereignty was returned to Japan through the San Francisco Peace Treaty (in return it signed a security agreement with USA)

Korean WarConsequences of the war:

• Japan also signed a trade boycott (the Yoshida Letter) against communist China (to weaken and eventually cause the collapse of Mao’s regime) – Yoshida Letter

• Taiwan became more important strategically to USA – more military and economic aid provided for Taiwan

• Mutual defence treaty was signed with Taiwan in 1954

• 20-year period of Sino-American hostility followed

• USA signed two new Cold War treaties with Philippines, Australia and New Zealand

THE COST IN HUMAN LIFE

Casualties in the Korean War

780,000500,000

70,000

30,000

4,500

NK & Chinese soldiersand civilians

SK civilians

SK soldiers

USA soldiers

Other UN soldiers

WHO WON????

• S KOREA REMAINED ‘FREE’

• Containment had worked

• Korea badly damaged

• The human cost

• Still two separate states today

• Still US troops in Korea

By 1950 had Containment worked???

• Most Americans agreed with containing communism

• Some wanted a more aggressive policy like MacArthur

• More alliances were set up that were anti-Communist

Louis Johnson, Secretary of Defense, General Douglas MacArthur and General Omar Bradley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff salute the Colors during a review held at the Palace Plaza, Tokyo, Japan, June 19, 1950, in Honor of Mr. Johnson. Johnson and Bradley were just returning from a Far East tour when the fighting in Korea broke out. There was no discussion in Tokyo of the possibility of a North Korean invasion.Photograph: U.S. Army - Sergeant TurnbullSource: Truman Library

President Truman with members of his Cabinet and other officials, in the Cabinet Room of the White House. Photographer: Abbe Rowe, National Park Service. Source: Truman Library.

Chinese soldiers advancing on American Lines

A South Korean soldier comforts a wounded buddy before he is evacuated, July 28, 1950. Troops of the Republic of Korea (ROK) were responsible for defending the eastern portion of the peninsula. Photo: Department of Defense. Source: Truman Library.

North KoreanPrisoners of War(1951)

Korean War

References:

CPDD (2003) Upper Secondary Social Studies Secondary Three. Singapore: Longman

McAleavy,Tony(eds) (2001) Modern World History. UK:Cambridge University Press.

Todd, A. (2001) Democracies and Dictatorships. UK:Cambridge University Press.