Notes |
What was the Korean War
-The war started on the 25th of June 1950 -It started when 90,000 North Korean soldiers launched an invasion on South Korea -It happened during a debate over the future of US foreign policy -Truman realized that if he failed to take action then the credibility of US policy of containment would erode -US immediately sent aid to South Korea and called on the UN to sanction military action against North Korea -On the 27th of June, 1950 A resolution sanctioning against North Korea was passed by the UN -On the 1st of July 1950 Troops from the US + 15 other nations arrived in Korea, The army was Led by UN Commander, American General Douglas MacArthur -Got the US to accept the recommendations in document NCS-68. Raise the military budget -The Cold War was now a global war and the USA wanted to confront Communism in Europe as well as Asia The Korean War - What Happened? -Started as a war of movement, followed by a stalemate that lasted until 1953 1. North Korean Invasion -North Korea captured almost all of the entire Korean peninsula apart from Pusan 2. UN Counter-Attack -MacArthur led the UN forces to lead an assault on Inchon -Recaptured Seoul within a month and pushed the North Koreans back to the 38th parallel -US decided on the policy of 'rollback'. Which aimed to cross into North Korean territory to reunite Korea -On October, Pyongyang was captured 3. Chinese Counter-Attack -The Chinese warned MacArthur and he decided to push on the border with China at Yalu River anyways -On the 27th of November 1950 Over 200,000 Chinese and 150,000 North Korean troops pushed the UN forces into retreat -December 1950 Pyongyang and all of North Korea was recaptured, The UN forces suffered heavy casualties 4. Stalemate -War descended into stalemate along the 38th parallel -Truman decided to go back to the policy of 'containment', MacArthur disagreed and threatened to use atomic bombs against China -MacArthur was fired by Truman -1951 Peace talks began -1953 Peace talks continues and an armistice was signed at Panmunjom in July Causes of the Korean War Failure to unite Korea after the second world war: -In 1945 the superpowers agreed to temporarily divide Korea -The 38th Parallel was used as a dividing line with the USSR who occupied the north and the USA who occupied the south -On December 1945 the Council of Foreign Ministers' Moscow Conference the USA and the USSR agreed to create a provisional government in Korea that would lead to independence -On September 1948 the North founded the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) it was Founded by Kim Il Sung and it was recognized as communist The Role of the USA: -Both of the superpowers started to withdraw their troops -In 1948 the Soviet troops left the North -US' withdrawal presented Kim Il Sung with an opportunity The role of Kim Il Sung: -Kim Il Sung and Synghman Rhee wanted to reunify Korea on their own terms -Kim Il Sung tried to persuade Stalin into supporting an attack on the South -Stalin wasn't to blame for the war although his support for Kim Il Sung was significant when it came to the North making decisions The role of Stalin: -In 1950 Stalin eventually began to support the plans for a war, hoping that they would win -Communist victory in China and the development of the USSR's first atomic bomb persuaded Stalin to act -The development of an anti-Communist Japan threatened Stalin's control within the region -Successful invasion of South Korean presented Stalin with the opportunity to spread his influence The role of Mao Zedong: -Kim Il Sung had the support of China -Kim persuaded Mao that Stalin was more enthusiastic -Mao ultimately gave his approval to invade the South |
Activities 5-8
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5. What Similarities and what Differences are there in which Germany and Korea each became Divided into Two Separate Countries?
Similarities -USSR set up a Communist government -US helped set up a Democratic government -Both the USSR and the US had one side of the country -Both were trying to spread their own influence across the world Differences -US didn't intend to have troops in North Korea -Split into two sections not four -No added influence of the UK and France 6. 1. - John Lewis Suggests that the Korean War could be Called 'A Comedy of Errors.' Truman -Soviet 'sphere of influence' was spreading to Asia because of Stalin Stalin -Stalin would gain more territorial land to control to spread his own influence through Asia Mao -If the Chinese continued to help fight in this war then Russia would reward them and they would help each other to improve their superpower status 7 1. What is it meant by referring 'Roundish One?' The 'Roundish One', The roundish world represents the world and Marshall can get a more global view of foreign policy across the world. 2. What is the Problem with using only a 'Squarish One?' The 'Squarish One', MacArthur is only looking at Asia, when the Cold War was now forming into a global phenomenon. Therefore, they needed to look at Communism on the scale of the whole world not just a section of it. 8. Consider and Discuss how the Korean War can be seen as a Civil War: -One side of Korea wanted to be Communist and the other wanted to be Democratic so they fought to see which side could overpower which and which side was better. |