Korea

• Korean War


  Conflict involving China, America and the USSR from 1950-1953
• Korea was occupied by Japan in 1910, then the Japanese empire was dismantled in 1945
• Soviet Union occupied the north of Korea, which had an industrial based economy
• America occupied the south of Korea, which had an agriculturally based economy
• Korea was divided in 2 along the 38th parallel
• Cold War


  Conflict between capitalism (USA) and communism (USSR)
• USA was concerned about the spread of communism in Korea and to other countries, and wanted a capitalist government in Korea
• 1947 - USA went to the UN for help


  UN declared national elections would be held in Korea the following year
• Problems with the election - USSR refused to allow UN inspectors in the north, so only southern votes were counted, and the USSR refused to accept the new government chosen by the south so established its own
• In 1948, 2 Korean governments were formed - South Korea (Republic of Korea) led by Syngman Rhee, and North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) led by Kim il Sung
• The two Korean governments refused to accept the legitimacy of the other, leading to 2 years of skirmishes and raids across the border
• This fundamental inability to co-exist led to the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950
• North Korea

  Invaded South Korea on 25th June 1950, led by communist leader Kim il Sung
• Reasons why Kim il Sung invaded


  • Tactics of encouraging guerrilla warfare in the south wasn't enough, North Korea's military was far stronger than the South's, North Korea had the support of the Soviet Union
• North Korean forces quickly defeated the South
• US government was concerned as it represented the spread of communism, which challenged the Truman Doctrine
• Soviet Union would have voted against but were boycotting the Security Council, so couldn't oppose the decision
• July 1950 - UN troops arrived in South Korea to fight against the North Korean invasion
• Battle of Inchon


  1. Carried out by 40,000 UN troops, mainly US, on 15th September 1950

  2. UN forces captured Inchon in 4 days

  3. Marked a turning point in the war

  4. Allowed UN troops to reclaim Seoul

  5. Threatened northern supply line
• Battle of Inchon was the most decisive battle of the Korean War
• UN Campaign in North Korea

  1. 25th September 1950 - UN forces recaptured Seoul

  2. 27th September 1950 - General MacArthur authorised to push into North Korea

  3. First troops to cross the 38th parallel were South Korean followed by US soldiers

  4. As they advanced, MacArthur gave orders not to damage roads, trainlines, fuel depots and airfields, and to avoid war with China

  5. 19th October 1950 - South Korea captured Pyongyang (NK capital)

  6. 24th November 1950 - MacArthur ordered one more push up the Yalu River, triggering Chinese intervention
• Chinese troops began to cross the Yalu River in October 1950 in preparation for battle against the UN forces
• Reasons why China intervened

  • Capture of most of Korea by UN troops looked threatening and they may be prepared to invade China too, Mao's reputation as a communist leader, Under pressure from the Soviet Union
• Over 300,000 Chinese soldiers secretly moved into North Korea in October and November 1950
• 26th November 1950 - Chinese forces launched a surprise attack against the UN forces, forcing them back across the 38th parallel
• Chinese intervention shocked the UN countries, as it represented the first time a major communist country had come in direct conflict with the UN
• The war did not expand beyond Korea, and a stalemate between North and South Korea ensued
• Peace talks resulted in an armistice ending the fighting in 1953
• MacArthur


  Commander of the UN forces in Korea, sacked by President Truman in April 1951 for disagreeing with the policy of seeking a ceasefire
• Military Stalemate around the 38th parallel


  1. Began in 1951 and lasted until armistice in 1953

  2. UN and South Korean troops retreated south past the 38th parallel

  3. North had captured Seoul again

  4. Attacking forces unable to sustain their attack due to long supply lines

  5. UN troops steadily pushed back North until March 1951

  6. South Korean recaptured Seoul in 1951

  7. Chinese tried new offensive but were unable to push back the better armed UN forces

  8. UN advance continued and crossed the 38th parallel in March

  9. Then dug in on a defensive front line named Kansas

  10. Stalemate set in around this line with no force able to gain advantage
• Reasons for the stalemate

  • Best way to defeat North Korea and China was 'meat grinder' tactics, UN wanted to avoid committing more troops as soldiers were needed elsewhere, neither side were able to create the circumstances to win the war
• Peace Talks and the Armistice


  1. Negotiations began in July 1951 in Kaesong

  2. Talks stalled as neither side were willing to agree, key areas of disagreement were prisoners of war

  3. 1953 - America facing growing anti-war protest, Soviet Union wanted China and North Korea to end the war

  4. July 1953 - Armistice was finally signed, creating a demilitarised zone but no peace agreement
• The Korean War had high costs in terms of human lives and financial resources for all sides involved
• Korea became a permanently divided country, with the communist North and the capitalist South
• The aftermath of the Korean War led to a split between China and the Soviet Union
• The American military remained large after the war, and conscription was introduced to maintain troop numbers