conflict & tension in asia

• End of WW2


  Japan, who had controlled Korea was defeated and forced to give up its colonies
• Temporary division of Korea

  1. Set up along the 38th parallel

  2. Elections planned for 1948
• Truman Doctrine


  In 1947 the Truman (president of the USA) made a public promise to come to the aid (financially and militaristically) of any country 'threatened' by communism
• Jeju Rebellion


  • In 1948 the Island of Jeju rebellion against Syngman Rhee's rule
  • Rhee brutally responded by killing 30,000 communist sympathisers (10% of the Islands population)
• New Leaders of North and South Korea

  1. Before national elections could be held, the USSR allowed a Korean Communist (Kim il-Sung) to take power, without an election

  2. In the capitalist south the US helped elections, which resulted in a capitalist Syngman Rhee taking charge

  3. Both sections of Korea were officially separated
• China becomes Communist


  • A China civil war broke out between pro capitalist and pro communist factions
  • The USA sent weapons to help the pro capitalists fight the communists
  • This failed and the communists overthrew the government
  • Mao became leader of new communist China
• UN Security Council


  1. The USA vetoed the request for the new Chinese government to take the place of the old Chinese government

  2. This angered the USSR, who stormed out and did not take part in any further council meetings
• Russia supplies North Korea


  • The USSR supply North Korea with tanks, artillery and aircraft
  • The USSR provide training to the soldiers of North Korea
  • In April gives permission for an invasion of South Korea
• USA removes troops from South Korea

  • The US decided to remove their troops from South Korea in 1950
  • This made the USSR more willing to sanction an invasion by North Korea
• Initial attacks


  1. War officially began on 25th June 1950 when the North attacked the South on the Ongjin Peninsula

  2. On 27th June 1950, Syngman Rhee, fled the capital of Seoul

  3. The city fell to the North on 28th June 1950
• The battle of Osan

  1. The first major attack that the USA were involved in

  2. The US lost and the north were able to force the Americans south capturing more land
• The UN invade North Korea

  1. UN forces cross the 38th Parallel at the beginning of October 1950, driving the fleeing north Korean army further North

  2. China issued warnings to the UN, threatening to attack them if they continued to advance towards China

  3. MacArthur ignored these warnings, he was convinced China was bluffing
• The battle of Inchon

  1. The UN Army, led by MacArthur, invade Korea, behind the North Korean lines

  2. The UN army was made up of 75,000 troops

  3. The UN recaptured Seoul

  4. North Korean led back north from the South
• The battle of Pusan Perimeter


  1. The US fortified an 140 km barrier around the city

  2. The North Koreans split into 4 groups to attack

  3. The split weakened their pressure leading to a stalemate

  4. The North Koreans withdrew when the battle of Inchon started, fearing they would be cut off from their supplies
• The battle of Taejon


  1. The US took another stand outside Taejon on 14th July 1950

  2. The battle lasted 7 days, but ultimately the north won and continued to push south
• China joins the war


  China respond by attacking the UN with an army of 200,000 troops (25th October)
• Seoul Changes hands


  1. China pushes the UN back south and across the 38th parallel

  2. They recapture Seoul on behalf of North Vietnam in Jan 1951

  3. The South launch a counter attacked, and reclaim Seoul in March 1951
• Peace talks and the end of the war

  1. Peace talks began in 1951, but made little progress

  2. The death of Stalin in 1953 and changes of US president from Truman to Eisenhower, made the USSR and USA less interested in fighting the war

  3. A peace treaty was signed in July 1953

  4. Both countries remained independent with a 3km demilitarised zone between them
• The Stalemate


  1. Napalm (killing 1 million people)

  2. USSR sending planes and pilots, disguised in China colours

  3. USA offering rewards for Chinese planes (which were more advanced)

  4. 3500 UN planes were lost; 3000 North Korea, Chinese and Soviet planes were lost
• MacArthur is sacked


  Truman is furious and sacks MaCarthur from his post as head of the UN army (11th April 1951)
• MacArthur invades North Korea

  1. Truman decides that defending south Korea is enough of an outcome, but MaCarthur disagree

  2. Against the orders of Truman he re-invades North Korea and is prepared to use Nuclear Weapons (April)

  3. This counter invasion fails
• Japan defeated; forced to give colonies that it had conquered in WW2 (Vietnam included)

  1945
• Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam to be independent

  2nd September 1945
• VIETNAM WAR:PART 1: INDOCHINA

  1. Invasion of the French: 1946

  2. Fighting: 1946 - 1953

  3. Foreign support
• From 1949 Communist china sent supplies, forms of training and equipment to support Ho Chi Minh fight against the French
• In retaliation to china's support of the Viet Minh, the USA offered the French support. By 1954 they hadsent $3 billion to the French and 80% of their equipment
• Dien Bien Phu: 1954


  1. Vienminh surrounded French airbase at dien Bien Phu

  2. They destroy the runway and prevented supplies or people getting in or out

  3. After 57 days the French surrendered
• 3000 French died vs. 8000 Vietminh
• The French Prime Minister resigned; his successor held a vote as to what to do with Vietnam. They vote to abandoned there efforts to reconquer Vietnam
• The Geneva Conference: 1954


  1. The USA did not want Vietnam to fall to communism

  2. The country was temporarily split along the 17th parallel; Ho chi Minh to control the North; Ngo Dinh Diem to control the South

  3. Elections planned for 1956 to allow the Vietnamese to choose which leader they want to control the how country
• President Truman: 1945 - 1953
• President Eisenhower: 1953 - 1961
• Diem becomes leader: 1954


  1. USA supported Diem as he was anti communist, despite his actions

  2. Nepotism

  3. Took land of peasants

  4. Promote Catholicism in a largely Buddhist country
• VIETNAM WAR:PART 2: DIEM AND CIVIL WAR

  1. Corrupt Elections:1955

  2. Outbreak of Civil War: 1957
• The USA and Diem ignored the planned nation elections and held illegal elections to make Diem permanent leader of the South
• Diem's had anyone who opposed the elect arrested (100,000 people)
• Diem used red paper for his voting slip as it was a lucky colour in Vietnam
• Diem 'won' with 98.2% of the vote
• The USA and Diem has broken the Geneva agreement. Many people opposed Diem by joining the National Liberation Front
• ARVN vs. NLF


  1. USA funded and supplied ARVN to resist the NLF ($1.6 billion in cost)

  2. US sent military advisors to support ARVN

  3. NFL were popular as they planned to overthrow Diem and create a new government that represented all social classes. They attacked and murdered government workers