causes of Korean War

• why was Korea important?

  US lost Japan, Korea is vulnerable so North Korea treated as Soviet sphere of influence
• Kim Il Sung?

  communist north
• Sngman Rhee?

  Capitalist South
• what did Syngman Rhee want to do?

  reunite Korea that doesn't tolerate communism, needed US support
• what did Kim Il Sung want to do?

  willing to use force to achieve reunification. extensive guerilla action by North seen, aimed to destabilise South and undermine Rhees regime.
• What did Kim Il Sung think?

  4 points:

  • rapid and decisive victory
  • 200,000 communist supporters already in South
  • well org com guerrilla force operating in South
  • US won't have time to intervene
• USSR?

  March 49, K.I.S turned to Stalin for support. Stalin aware of 7,500 US troops in South, so declined but suggested guerrilla force should be strengthened to undermine gov.
• what made USSR change decision to help?

  feb 1950, Chinese com had won and US didn't include Korea in defensive perimeter strategy.

  • 1,600 pieces of artillery, 178 military aircraft, 258 T-34 Tanks.
  • no troops, war in Korea could bring US into it, US-Sov conflict into Europe. united com state= strengthen Sov borders and put pressure on Japan. stalling on support=goes to China undermining sov influence
• Chinas influence?

  China focused on consolidating com control within the country and trying to regain control of Taiwan, so concerns of future of Korea not important to Mao at this time
• why did China get involved?

  significant opposition to Maos point of view.

  • Zhao Enlai pushed for internal consolidation of com region. Mao worried about US threatening China if they intervene but ended up sending military 'volunteers'.
  • ended up being pressured by Stalin to intervene but did want to stay out of it at the start
• US inervention?

  until 49 main issue=Japan. North Korean invasion shifted this, Korea could influence situation in Europe as said by Dean Acheson 51.