korean war

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Created by
Lakshya

Cards (19)

  • Events of the Korean War
    June 1950 - North Korean forces invade South Korea, Truman commits US forces to defend South Korea
    July 1950 - UN approves resolution to make this a UN force
    September 1950 - UN forces land in Inchon South Korea, they quickly push back the Communist forces
    November 1950 - Chinese forces cross into South Korea to push back the UN force
    January 1951 - Communists take the capital city Seoul
  • Events of the Korean War (2)
    March 1951 - UN forces retake Seoul, General MacArthur (commander of the UN Force) is sacked after disagreements with Truman. MacArthur wanted to advance into North Korea but Truman thought that too risky
    June 1951 - Peace talks begin
    July 1953 - A ceasefire ends the war, Korea is divided along much the same line as before the war
  • Korea 

    Borders
  • Causes of Korean War
    Arms race between US and USSR in 1950s - nuclear rivalry
    US and USSR used Korean War as a proxy war
    Both superpowers didn't want to get involved in a head to head confrontation, however they reunited allies to support states which came into conflict with their enemies eg: Korean War
    America was fearing the 'domino effect' / spread of communism and wanted to contain it: it spread to Malaya, Indonesia, Burma, Korea and Philippines
  • Causes of Korean War (2)
    Hostility between North and South Korea. 1950 - open warfare
    North - because at the end of WW2, they were liberated by Soviet troops, Communist and led by Kim II Sung
    South - because at end of WW2 they were liberated by American troops, anti - communist and led by Syngman Rhee
    North Korean troops (initially helped by equipment from USSR and China) overwhelmed South Korea's forces - by September 1950 most of Soviet control was under Communist control
  • Reasons for Conflict and Why:
    Show of Russian strength towards Americans(part of Cold War) - to get revenge after their retreat in Berlin
    Show of Russian strength to the Chinese(rivalry between Communist nations) - Stalin showing Mao he was leader of Communism in Asia
  • Reasons for conflict and why(2):
    North Korean attack planned in Moscow and backed up by Bejing - would strengthen Russia's defence in Pacific(America thought this was the reason), the attack on South K by North K was planned in Moscow by Soviets
    Attack provoked by South K - North K claimed South K attacked 1st as to regain American help against Communism
  • The UN (Cause of the War)
    USA asked UN to call for a ceasefire
    USSR boycotted UN, therefore unable to vote to oppose the motion so UN voted for immediate withdrawal of North Korean troops
    North troops remained, so UN sent troops to support Rhee's government - the troops were mostly an American idea, but officially UN soldiers and US couldn't be accused of acting alone - proxy war idea
  • Proxy War

    A proxy war is a conflict in which two opposing countries or powers support combatants that serve their interests instead of waging war directly against one another.
  • Opinions of the Korean War
    USSR: would say it was a defensive war and that North K was an innocent nation as South K attacked first
    US: Containment, want to stop spread of Communism - therefore restore international peace and security to that area (eg: South K) and that what they did was noble and right in the war
  • Timeline of Korean War: 1950 - 53
    End of WW2 - Korean peninsula occupied by US forces in South+USSR forces in North, divided by 38th Parallel which was agreed in Potsdam 

    1 - In June 1950, NK invades SK in an attempt to seize it's territory: UN (led by US) intervenes for South's side but Seoul quickly falls, by mid Sep, NK occupies all but small corner around Pusan in South
    2 - NK advance in Sept 15 1950
    3 - UN counterattacks in Sept 1950: US led forces (officially UN soldiers) led by American general Douglas MacArthur landed at Inchon in SK and drove NK back to 38th Parallel
  • Timeline of Korean War (2):
    4 - UN advance in 25th October 1950 into NK territory
    5 - China enters War in 25th Oct 1950: their troops alongside NK army, pushed UN forces back below 38th parallel and took control of Seoul
    6 - Chinese and NK advance on 21st Jan 1951
    7 - General MacArthur dismissed in April 1951 after calling for the use of a nuclear weapon: US didn't want to raise tensions
    8 - Peace talks begin but failed: June 1951
  • Timeline of Korean War (3)
    9 - Becomes a Stalemate in July 1951: Both sides give up on trying to unify Korea by force, led to a standstill but both superpowers had political and geographical stakes in Korea
    10 - End of War in 27th July 1953:
    created Korean Demilitarised Zone
    new border to sperate Korea
    paused combat on Korean Peninsula
    signed by Korean People's Army and Chinese People's Volunteer Army and representatives from UN
  • Consequences of Korean War
    Show that US was willing to go to war to contain Communism
    Showed US power within UN
    1st proxy war in Cold War, indirect fight between US and USSR, Soviets provided most of NK's weapons
    Dismissal of MacArthur - showed US didn't want direct conflict with USSR/ didn't want nuclear weapons involved
    USSR were equally keen to avoid direct conflict
  • Gains and Losses of Korean War for UN
    Gains:
    Gained respect by taking prompt decisions and used combined forces to stop aggression
    Achieved joint action - more effective than League of Nations
    Losses:
    Over 30,000 casualties - most were US troops
    Only able to act cause of USSR's absence from Security Council and therefore unable to exercise it's veto (legal power to stop action)
  • Gains and Losses of Korean War for USA
    Gains:
    Saved South Korea from Communism - containment worked in Asia
    Losses:
    30,000 casualties
    Bills increased from 12 to 60 billion dollars for compensation
    Failed to liberate North Korea
  • Gains and Losses of Korean War for USSR

    Gains:
    Close friends with Communist China
    China vs US conflict to Soviet advantage
    Losses:
    Forced to do expensive arms race with US
  • Gains and Losses of Korean War for China
    Gains:
    Gained respect of Communist supporters in Asia
    Saved NK from US control
    Received financial military help from USSR
    Had secured NK as a buffer state on it's own borders
    Losses:
    Half a million casualties
    Failed to win SK
    US protection for Chiang Kai Shek
    Loss of trade with US
  • Gains and Losses for Korea
    Only losses, no gains
    Losses:
    1.3 million casualties
    Industry destroyed
    Agriculture ruined
    Millions of refugees
    Neither NK nor SK gained the united Korea they aimed for