Korean War

• 1950


  Russia and China signed a pact
• UN was created during WW1
• Declaration of the UN on January 1st 1942
• UN officially in existence since 24th October 1945
• How did the Korean War Start?

  • Korea had been part of the Japanese empire since 1910
  • Americans occupied South Korea and the communists occupied North Korea
  • At the end of WW2 Korea was freed from Japanese control
• South Korea was ruled by anti-Communist Syngham Rhee
• North Korea was ruled by a communist dictator Kim il Sung
• They couldn't agree what government to select so by 1948 two independent states North and South Korea divided by 38th parallel
• Armistice signed July 1951
• Truman viewed communism as a direct threat to democracy
• • North Korea attacked South Korea in 1950 and captured Seoul
  • Very quickly they had taken over the whole South Korea apart from S.E corner (Pusan Pocket)
  • Truman followed a 'policy of containment' and was terrified of 'the domino affect@
• The USA felt like it was their responsibility to resist the spread of communism
• How did the US respond to North Korea invading South Korea?

  • Went to the UN and referred the situation to the security council
  • Security council asked North Koreans to move their troops from South Korea
  • USSR weren't able to stop this as they were boycotting meetings
  • UN army made up of 16 Nations predominantly made up of US troops was sent to Korea
• Why did China intervene in the Korean War?

  China intervened to protect its border, maintain influence in North Korea, ensure domestic stability, and respond to the US presence in Korea.
• 25th June 1950


  North Korea invades South Korea
• October 1950


  China joins the war pushed US/UN troops back to the 38th parallel
• Douglas MacArthur was sacked April 1951
• 1953 it was agreed that the frontier would remain along 38 parallel
• 4 million Korean soldiers and civilians were killed

  5 million were left homeless

  American lost 50,000

  UN lost 17,000
• Impact of Korean War

  • USA now committed to supporting other Asian countries that were trying to resist communism
  • Sept 1954 SEATO was formed (USA, France, GB, NZ, Australia, Philippines, Thailand, Pakistan) aim to prevent communism
  • USSR worried about US military so increased from 2.8 million in 1950 to 5.6 million in 1956
• West Germany joined NATO in 1955
• 1955 USSR brought together 8 communist countries to form Warsaw Pact
• 1952


  Dwight D Eisenhower became president (replacing Harry Truman)
• 1953


  Joseph Stalin dies
• 1956


  Nikita Khrushchev replaces Stalin
• Korean War ended in 1953