korean war

Created by

izzy bick

Cards (26)

When did the Korean War begin?
June 1950
When did the Korean War end?
July 1953
What were the 6 main phases of the Korean war? 
1- NK invades SK on 25th June 1950
2- UN army (general McArthur led) arrived sept 1950 to push back against NK invasion
3- Oct 1950 UN forces advance into NK
4- 25th oct 1950 China and NK push SK and UN belo2 38th parallel again
5- 2 year stalemate
6-Peace treaty agreed 27th July 1953 between UN China and NK
What are long term causes of the Korean war?
1910 - 1945 - Korea controlled by Japan
End of WW2 - Japanese in north surrender to USSR
- south surrender to US
what at the end of ww2 led to the Korean war? 
-Japan surrender and Korea occupied by soviet troops in North and American in South
What is Korea divided along?
38th parallell
Was the division in Korea supposed to be temporary? 
yes
-UN was to organise elections to achieve united country
What happened instead of free elections in North Korea? 
-Soviets in north enabled communist Kim ill sung to be leader with no election
What happened in the election in South Korea?
-USA supporter and capitalist Syngman Rhee elected
How were both leaders similar? 
-both nationalists who wanted united country
how were both leaders different? 
-Had opposing political ideologies
How were the USSR involved in the build up of the Korean war? 
-Kim ill sung visited Stalin in 1949 and asked for support on a SK invasion
-Stalin refused as UN troops were still in SK
1950- UN troops left SK and Stalin changed mind
-Stalin began sending tanks, artillery and weapons to NK
-USSR soldiers would not get involved directly but China would supply supplies
How did tension between SK and NK build up to the Korean war?
-Both had attitudes of superiority to each other
-Number of clashes on border between both sides
-Both leaders wanted one united country with opposing ideologies
Why did the UN get involved in the Korean War?
South Korea appealed to the UN Security Council after the invasion of North Korean Troops into South Korea

The big 5 have the right to veto.

In 1950, USSR not involved in UN in retaliation for China not being recognised as a communist country.

Therefore, no one to veto UN assistance to South Korea.
Why did USA get involved in Korean war? 
-Truman concerned about spread of communism in Asia
-Chinas fall to communism in 1949 heightened fear
What was the USAs role in the Korean war? 
-Un troops mainly American were sent to Korea
-UN forces pushed back NK to Yalu river but China joined war and UN had to retreat
What was the effect of war on USA?
-Showed USA commitment to containing communism
-General McArthur sacked over proposal for Nuclear
-SEATO set up in 1954 to stop spread in Asia
-War did not escalate further which shows how neither side was prepared to not fight proxy war
How can US be seen as winner of Korean war? 
-successfully contained communism
-Truman Doctrine success
How could UN be seen as winner of war? 
-Proved org could successfully stop conflict in world
-Unlike league of nations in WW2
How could USSR be seen as winner of war? 
-Developed closer alliance with China as consequence
How could China be seen as winner? 
-gained reputation as one of world leading military powers
-grew closer alliance with USSR
How can Korea be seen as loser of war? 
-Huge amount of deaths
-800000 civilians died
-80 percent of industrial buildings destroyed
-Major housing shortage in NK which meant many had to live in caves
How can USA be seen as loser of war? 
- Responsible for huge amount of civilian death
- Increased military spending to fight war
- Failed to defeat communism in NK
- War cost China relations with USA
How could UN be seen as loser of war? 
-Due to USA big involvement in war
- People started to question if UN was a puppet controlled by US
How can USSR be seen as loser of war? 
-increased tension with US
-Led to weapons build up
How can China be seen as loser of war? 
-war huge economic burden
-Stopped US and Chinese relations