THE KOREAN WAR 1950 - 1953

KIM IL SUNG the Great Leader, 1945 - 1994

The partition of KoreaThe partition of Korea

• Korean had been a Korean had been a Japanese colony Japanese colony since 1910since 1910

• In 1945 the Big 3 at In 1945 the Big 3 at Yalta decided that Yalta decided that Korea was to be Korea was to be partitioned at the partitioned at the 3838thth parallel parallel

• Soviets occupied Soviets occupied the north, the north, Americans occupied Americans occupied the souththe south

North KoreaNorth Korea

In 1948 North Korea announced its independence as In 1948 North Korea announced its independence as the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea)the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea)

The DPRK was a communist state led by Kim Il Sung The DPRK was a communist state led by Kim Il Sung and allied to the Soviet Unionand allied to the Soviet Union

South Korea (ROK)South Korea (ROK)

South Korea announced its independence in South Korea announced its independence in 1948 as the ROK (Republic of Korea)1948 as the ROK (Republic of Korea)

The ROK was led by Syngman Rhee and was The ROK was led by Syngman Rhee and was allied to the USAallied to the USA

The Korean War beginsThe Korean War begins

On 25 June 1950, North Korea crossed the 38On 25 June 1950, North Korea crossed the 38thth Parallel Parallel and invaded South Korea and rapidly seized Seoul and and invaded South Korea and rapidly seized Seoul and pushed south to surround Pusan by 14 Septemberpushed south to surround Pusan by 14 September

Truman and the UNTruman and the UN

• Truman took the issue to the UN Security CouncilTruman took the issue to the UN Security Council• The USSR was boycotting the meeting in protest at the The USSR was boycotting the meeting in protest at the

refusal to give the Security Council seat to the newly refusal to give the Security Council seat to the newly established People’s Republic of Chinaestablished People’s Republic of China

• The Security Council voted to send a multi-national The Security Council voted to send a multi-national force to Korea under American commandforce to Korea under American command

MacArthur and the Inchon MacArthur and the Inchon landinglanding

• General Douglas MacArthur led the UN forces in KoreaGeneral Douglas MacArthur led the UN forces in Korea• He successfully launched the Inchon operation on Sept He successfully launched the Inchon operation on Sept

1515thth 1950, which got behind the North Korean forces 1950, which got behind the North Korean forces and liberated Seoul and liberated Seoul

Why did the Why did the United United Nations’ Nations’ forces cross forces cross the 38the 38thth parallel in parallel in October October 1950 and 1950 and what were what were the the consequencconsequences?es?

Despite the risk of a Chinese entry into the Despite the risk of a Chinese entry into the war, the US, along with the United Nations war, the US, along with the United Nations decided to cross the 38decided to cross the 38thth parallel into the parallel into the north.north.

• Truman’s NSC 68 Truman’s NSC 68 (January 1950)(January 1950)

• It was MacArthur’s It was MacArthur’s broad authority to broad authority to invade North Koreainvade North Korea

• Truman: Truman: “MacArthur’s own “MacArthur’s own decision” but decision” but historians largely historians largely agree that Truman agree that Truman allowed MacArthur to allowed MacArthur to cross the 38cross the 38thth Parallel ………..Parallel ………..

Why did they do this? Why did they do this?

China In The Korean China In The Korean WarWar

Why, and with what impact for the course of Why, and with what impact for the course of the conflict, did the Chinese decide to enter the conflict, did the Chinese decide to enter

the Korean War? the Korean War?

• For their own Security• To ensure the survival of

Communism• To the Chinese, the presence of

American troops on the Yalu was similar to that of Cuban Missiles in Cuba in 1962 for JFK. (Max Hastings)

• “We cannot stand idly by” Zhou En Lai, China’s Foreign minister

Chinese InterventionChinese Intervention

• MacArthur drives the north, captures Pyongyang and MacArthur drives the north, captures Pyongyang and reaches the Yalu river and Chinese Borderreaches the Yalu river and Chinese Border

• The Chinese cross the border and drive the UN forces The Chinese cross the border and drive the UN forces to the south routing the US army’s 10to the south routing the US army’s 10thth Marine corps Marine corps

• China entered the Korean War – and China entered the Korean War – and lost one million soldiers in the conflictlost one million soldiers in the conflict

• The war was lengthened and Korea The war was lengthened and Korea divided until today divided until today

• The Korean people suffered over 2 The Korean people suffered over 2 million casualtiesmillion casualties

• The Truman Doctrine was extended to The Truman Doctrine was extended to AsiaAsia

The major consequences The major consequences werewere....

North Korean propaganda North Korean propaganda against the United Statesagainst the United States

North North Korean Korean

propagandpropaganda against a against

the United the United StatesStates

Stalemate Dec 1950 - 1951Stalemate Dec 1950 - 1951

• Truman dismisses MacArthur (April 1951)Truman dismisses MacArthur (April 1951)• The war is locked in stalemate for the next The war is locked in stalemate for the next

two yearstwo years

To what extent was Korea a Limited To what extent was Korea a Limited War?War?

• Limited war - a Limited war - a conflict in which both conflict in which both parties refrain from parties refrain from utilizing all their utilizing all their available resources, available resources, including nuclear including nuclear weapons weapons

• Limited to the Korean Limited to the Korean peninsula and NOT in peninsula and NOT in China or the USSRChina or the USSR

• .Truman not ready for .Truman not ready for a full scale war, nor a full scale war, nor ready to abandon ready to abandon KoreaKorea

• For the Koreans it For the Koreans it was not a ‘Limited was not a ‘Limited War” ……War” ……

Stalemate Dec 1950 – Stalemate Dec 1950 – 1951…..1951…..

The End of the WarThe End of the War

• After winning the election in Nov 1952, new After winning the election in Nov 1952, new US President Eisenhower goes to Korea and US President Eisenhower goes to Korea and arranges for armistice talks (which had gone arranges for armistice talks (which had gone on for almost two years) to be resolved. on for almost two years) to be resolved.

Armistice at Panmunjom July Armistice at Panmunjom July 19531953

The table where the armistice was The table where the armistice was signed in July 1953signed in July 1953

Korea remains divided along the 38Korea remains divided along the 38thth ParallelParallel

A North Korean soldier at the 38A North Korean soldier at the 38thth Parallel with our guide and Lisa Parallel with our guide and Lisa

Cannon Oct 2007Cannon Oct 2007

North Korea under Kim Il North Korea under Kim Il SungSung

• Kim purged all of his Kim purged all of his opponents in the opponents in the 1950s1950s

• He developed an He developed an elaborate cult of elaborate cult of personalitypersonality

• From 1953 to the mid From 1953 to the mid 1960s the North 1960s the North Korean economy Korean economy grew rapidly, far grew rapidly, far ahead of South Koreaahead of South Korea

• Kim promoted Kim promoted JucheJuche, , self relianceself reliance

The Hermit KingdomThe Hermit Kingdom• Throughout the 1950s Throughout the 1950s

Kim Il Sung turned Kim Il Sung turned against the Soviet against the Soviet Union and has become Union and has become more friendly with more friendly with ChinaChina

• The USA placed The USA placed nuclear weapons in nuclear weapons in South Korea, the South Korea, the ““nuclear umbrellanuclear umbrella””

• North Korea became North Korea became increasingly isolatedincreasingly isolated

North Korean Girl cadets at North Korean Girl cadets at Kim Il Sung’s mausoleumKim Il Sung’s mausoleum

Myself and Lisa at Myself and Lisa at Kim Il Sung’s mausoleum Oct Kim Il Sung’s mausoleum Oct

20072007

South Korea under Park Chung-South Korea under Park Chung-hehe• Syngman Rhee was Syngman Rhee was

overthrown in a student overthrown in a student uprising in 1958uprising in 1958

• General Park Chung-he General Park Chung-he seized power in 1961seized power in 1961

• Park began to expand Park began to expand the economy to catch the economy to catch up with Japanup with Japan

• By late 1960s the South By late 1960s the South Korean economy was Korean economy was booming and she booming and she continues to be one of continues to be one of the great Asian ‘tiger’ the great Asian ‘tiger’ economieseconomies

Kim Jong-Il 1941 - 2011 Kim Jong-Il 1941 - 2011

• Kim Il Sung died in Kim Il Sung died in 19941994

• His son, Kim Jong-Il His son, Kim Jong-Il succeeded himsucceeded him

• The older Kim remains The older Kim remains president even though president even though he is deadhe is dead

• Kim Jong-Il continued Kim Jong-Il continued his fatherhis father’’s policies s policies and a personality cult and a personality cult glorifies him as glorifies him as ““Dear Dear LeaderLeader””

Nuclear programme revivedNuclear programme revived• Kim revived North Kim revived North

KoreaKorea’’s nuclear s nuclear policypolicy

• Six party talks were Six party talks were opened with opened with Russia, China, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea Japan, South Korea and the US in 2009, and the US in 2009, but the US refused but the US refused bi-lateral talksbi-lateral talks

Recent news….. Recent news….. • Kim Jong-un succeeded Kim Jong-un succeeded

his father in 2011.his father in 2011.• He is the third and He is the third and

youngest son of Kim youngest son of Kim Jong-Il and was born in Jong-Il and was born in Sept. 1983 or 1984 ….Sept. 1983 or 1984 ….

•