Chapter 6

• Why was 1949 a key year in the development of the Cold War?

  -The USSR tested their own atomic bomb - began the Arms Race

  - Truman's loss of China

  - June 1949 - CPP pledge allegiance to USSR

  - 2 separate Germany's set up

  -NATO

  - China White Paper

  - End of Berlin Blockade
• What happened to Korea after WWII? Division of Korea at the end of WWII?

  - Korea was under Japanese control during WWII

  - Korean Nationalists (including many communists) led a revolution against Japanese rule in 1945

  - When Japan was defeated by Allies, Korea was temporarily divided at 'the 38th parallel'

  - Soviet forces were to temporarily occupy the Northern half and US forces the southern half

  - Although the intention was that Korea should be reunified, separate states were set up and backed by the two superpowers.
• Who were the two Korean leaders and what did they want?

  North Korea - Soviet Zone (DRPK) under Kim Il Sung

  South Korea - USA Zone (ROK) under Syngman Rhee

  
  

  - Both leaders were committed to the restoration of a united Korea under a single leader but both wanted different ways of leadership. Both uncompromising
• Causes of the Korean War? Rhee's stance

  - Rhee was a nationalist and virulent anti-communist. Wanted a sovereign country that didn't tolerate communism.

  - Not fond of American Capitalism. Best pick for the job

  - He wanted to remove communism in the North and create a stronger state that could resist any threats from the USSR.

  - Rhee wanted a guarantee from the USA that it would protect South Korea from an attack from the North with military aid

  - Used force to defend from/ attack North
• Causes of the Korean War? Kim Il Sung's stance

  - Committed to using force to achieve reunification, this began with the development of extensive guerrilla action by the North

  - This aimed to destabilise the South and undermine Rhee's regime

  - Sung aware of the wider Cold War and the significance of the Soviet's nuclear technology and he feared the possible consequences for North Korea of the US-Japanese relationship.
• Kim Il Sung's strategy to win external support? 4 issues to persuade Stalin?

  -Wanted to use the collective power of the communist world

  - Pressured both the USSR and China

  Focused on 4 issues to persuade Stalin to support an attack on the South:

  1. it would be a rapid and decisive victory

  2. already hardcore 200,000 communist supporters in the South

  3. there was a well-organised communist guerrilla force operating in the South

  4. the USA would not have time to intervene

  
  

  Kim Il Sung used the same tactics with China. He tried to undermine Stalin's support when talking to Mao and Mao's support when talking to Stalin
• How long had Japanese occupied Korea?

  35 years
• Why did Stalin initially reject Kim Il Sung's request for Soviet help in March 1949? What did he suggest instead?

  - Stalin acutely aware of 7500 US troops still in SK

  - He reiterated his support and suggested Kim Il Sung should strengthen the guerrilla forces in the South in order to undermine the government there.
• What happened internationally that helped Stalin feel stronger after his initial refusal to support an invasion of South Korea?

  - Soviet's detonated 1st atomic bomb in 1949

  - Communist revolution in China was successful
• Why did Stalin finally give approval for the invasion in 1950?

  - He was confident that the US lacked the will to respond to events in Asia. Defensive Perimeter had omitted Korea. A war in Korea might bring in the US and this could lead to a US-Soviet conflict that could spread into Europe. Stalin did not anticipate a global conflict but he was conscious of the fact that Europe was the epicenter of Cold War confrontation at this time

  
  

  - A united communist Korean state as an ally of the USSR would be a positive outcome. It would strengthen Soviet borders, put pressure on Japan (US ally), and provide economic opportunities for the USSR

  
  

  - If he stalled, NK would turn to China - undermining Soviet influence in the region.

  
  

  - The USSR had nuclear technology by 1950
• What did Stalin provide NK with? What did he not provide? Why?

  - 1600 pieces of artillery

  - 178 military aircraft

  - 258 T-34 tanks

  
  

  - Not willing to provide troops

  - Stalin accepted that indirect military support for NK was the best option for USSR

  - USSR had an inferior position to USA in the context of nuclear weapons
• What was China's stance on the Korean War?

  - Mao's immediate priorities in 1949 were focused on consolidating communist control in China

  - Wanted to consolidate Chinese territory through regaining control of Taiwan from the nationalists

  - Regarded Korea with marginal importance

  - When NK invaded SK, Mao did not intervene or offer support. Did not want to take any action to inflame the USA.

  
  

  - He ordered more emphasis on China's geostrategic priorities, the future of Taiwan.

  - Truman ordered the US 7th Fleet to defend Taiwan by positioning itself between China and Taiwan

  - This prompted China's involvement in the war.
• Why did Mao not have a choice but to get involved with the Korean war?

  Who disagreed with Mao's choice?

  Mao argued that if US imperialists won the war, they would be arrogant and threaten China

  - He was committed to sending 'military volunteers' to NK

  - He discounted the US nuclear strength by suggesting Manchuria (where his troops massed) was too near the USSR and would therefore prevent US risking the use of nuclear weapons

  
  

  - Zhou Enlai pushed for domestic emphasis and did not agree with external distractions = significant opposition to Mao's view

  
  

  - Mao's options were limited:

  China's reputation would be tarnished in the eyes of the communist world if he did not get involved.

  China had to been supporting fellow communist comrades against capitalist imperialism.

  - Nov 1950 Mao compelled to intervene due to pressure from Stalin but at the start of the war Mao did his best to stay out of the conflict.
• How did the UN respond to the North's attack on the South?

  Voted to create a UN Military force to stop NK aggression and to defend SK.

  16 Nations to fight communism.
• Why did the Korea war gain significant public support in the US?

  support for the war was clearly tied to the anti-Communist spirit in America at the time

  Truman had addressed the country and warned them
• Causes of the Korean War? USSR Attitudes, Policies and Actions.

  - Wanted to avoid a costly fight with USA and used their alliance with China to ensure Asian troops did the fighting

  - Needed to support NK or Kim Il Sung would turn to China for support and this undermined Soviet influence in the region

  - Acted to undermine China as leader of the Communist world

  - Acted to promote Stalin's image as defender of communism.
• Causes of the Korean War? USA Attitudes, Policies and Actions.

  - Acted to ensure stability in the Far East and to protect long-term security of their ally, Japan (prevent domino effect)

  - Miscalculated by not including SK in their Defensive Perimeter Strategy

  - Acted to contain communism in Far East

  - Wanted to defend their ally in SK.
• Causes of the Korean War? China's Attitudes, Policies and Actions.

  - Wanted to support NK as a united communist Korean state would be a valuable ally in the Far East

  - Aimed to establish their country's credentials as a new force in the Communist World, particularly Asia

  - Felt a debt to communists in Korea because of their military help during the Civil War

  - Wanted to consolidate their position in order to recover the island of Taiwan.

  - Was forced to act when the US 7th fleet moved to defend Taiwan

  - To be seen as acting independently to the USSR
• Causes of the Korean War? North Korea Attitudes, Policies and Actions.

  - Pressured the USSR and China to help them attack SK

  - Wanted to unite their country under 1 leader

  - Manipulated China by underplaying Stalin's support when talking to Mao and vice versa.
• Causes of the Korean War? UN Attitudes, Policies and Actions.

  Became a tool of the US when the USSR boycotted the Security Council over the decision to not recognise 'Red China'

  They acted to protect SK (and Japan, South East Asia, and the Philippines) from Communist expansion.
• The COURSE of the Korean War 1950-53: Phase 1

  June - Sept 1950 (OFFENSIVE)

  
  

  - NK forces advanced into SK and reached a perimeter point close to Pusan

  - Chinese troops massed in Manchuria in readiness for a move into SK

  - Through UN, 29 states committed to military, economic, or medical aid
• The COURSE of the Korean War 1950-53: Phase 2

  Sept - Nov 1950 (COUNTER-OFFENSIVE / OFFENSIVE)

  
  

  - MacArthur landed at Inchon and forced NK forces back over 38th parallel.

  - in Oct, Mao sent 300,000 Chinese troops across the Yalu River into NK

  - This led to a major counter-attack against the UN forces
• The COURSE of the Korean War 1950-53: Phase 3

  Dec 1950 - June 1951 (STABILISATION AND NEGOTIATION)

  
  

  - By Jan, Chinese forces had pushed across the 38th parallel and captured Seoul.

  - In Feb, the UN condemned China as an aggressor

  - In April, MacArthur dismissed by Truman for suggesting nuclear weapons and air strikes on NK. MacArthur wanted to commit the USA to a struggle for the reunification of Korea. Truman feared an extension of the war and bringing the USSR into it.

  - By June, the USA was indicating to China and the USSR of its willingness to negotiate a ceasefire.
• The COURSE of the Korean War 1950-53: Phase 4

  June 1951 - July 1953 (STALEMATE AND PEACE)

  
  

  - Neither side had any significant military offensives.

  - The lack of UN action convinced Stalin and Mao that there was a genuine desire for a peace settlement.

  - The USA had consolidated its relationship with Japan and so felt more secure in its involvement in the Far East.

  - long delays to reach settlement due to natural disinclination to cooperate with each other
• The COURSE of the Korean War 1950-53: SETTLEMENT


  - Negotiations started June 1951 but only July 1953 Armistice agreed in Panmunjom.

  - Rhee obstructed negotiations as he wanted US to commit stronger ties with SK. Wanted US to depend on SK as an agent of US containment.

  - Significant delaying factor removed when Stalin died March 1953.
• July 1953 The Panmunjom Armistice Agreement confirmed:

  - There was to be a military demarcation line with a 2km demilitarised zone on each side. Line roughly at 38th parallel.

  - All military forces should withdraw to their respective territories

  - The repatriation of prisoners would begin

  
  

  Pre-War status quo essentially restored.
• The impact of the Korean War: NORTH/ SOUTH KOREA

  - Approximately 415,000 SK and 500,000 NK were killed in the war

  - 5 million Koreans were left homeless due to the damage of the war.

  - Infrastructure and industries destroyed.

  - long-term security of both protected.
• The impact of the Korean War: USA POLITICS

  - Anti-communist hysteria developed in USA and Senator Joseph McCarthy began his witch-hunt for communists in US in early 1950s

  - Korean War shifted US politics to the right and helped ensure the Republican candidate, Eisenhower, was elected President in 1953.

  - Arms race with USSR escalated with the development of more powerful weapons e.g. Hydrogen and Lithium bombs by 1953

  - US strengthened NATO by allowing West Germany to rearm and become a full member in 1955

  - USA now offered more commitment to Asia in preventing the spread of Communism.
• The impact of the Korean War: USA President Eisenhower and Secretary of State, Dulles

  - President Eisenhower and Dulles, Secretary of State., saw containment as too limited and argued in favour of 'rollback' to 'liberate' communist states.

  -> They also rejected fighting 'limited wars', they instead threatened 'massive retaliation' to deter communist expansion.

  
  

  They had not succeeded at rollback in Korea. Only containment.
• The impact of the Korean War: USA military costs

  US military spending grew from $13 billion/year to $50 billion/year during Korean War

  Never dropped below $40billion/year afterwards
• The impact of the Korean War: USA in VIETNAM

  - USA supported the French in their attempt to regain control of Vietnam. The French lost in 1954 but USA had spent 70% of the cost of the war

  - Both Eisenhower and Kennedy were reluctant to commit combat troops to Vietnam after the Korean War
• The impact of the Korean War: USA Foreign Policy with ASIA

  What was created in 1954?

  - NSC-68 report meant that US military expenditure hugely increased after 1950

  - USA committed itself to protecting Taiwan from an attack by China

  - US signed a peace treaty with Japan in 1951

  - In 1954, the USA created SEATO (South East Asia Treaty Organisation) including Australia, Philippines & Pakistan to fight communism in Asia.
• The impact of the Korean War: USSR

  - After the Korean War, the USSR spent a much larger % of their GNP on the military

  - In 1955, the USSR formed the Warsaw Pact with Eastern European states in response to West Germany's inclusion in NATO.

  - Increased Arms Race with US

  - Huge economic pressure on USSR which led to Stalin escalating industrialisation of Eastern Europe due to economic strain of military expense. This caused a reaction in some states against communist rule as it led to a massive reduction in consumer goods.
• The impact of the Korean War: UN

  - UN had shown it could take action against an aggressor, unlike the earlier League of Nations

  - The communist world saw the UN as 'a tool of capitalism', damaging its reputation as an impartial and independent body.
• The impact of the Korean War: China

  - USA's commitments in Asia after the war threatened the security of China

  - China's entry in the war meant it was isolated internationally

  - Relations between USA and China were very hostile until the 1970s

  - China's reputation in the communist world was enhanced by its success against US forces and it boosted China's confidence in its military power vs. USA.

  -Lost chance to take Taiwan. Taiwan's long term security guaranteed as US determined that it should remain under nationalist control.
• What was the US priorities in Asia before the Korean War, 1949?

  - Until 1949, the USA's national security priority in Asia was Japan and reviving its economic strength

  - Korea secondary importance

  - They regarded the USSR as their greatest threat and the focus was on Europe rather than Asia, assuming Japan and the Defensive Perimeter States were secured
• Why did US priorities in Asia change when NK invaded SK?

  In May 1951, Dean Acheson argued NK's purpose was to destabilise Japan, SE Asia, the Philippines, and influence the position in Europe.

  - Acheson argued these areas in the Far East would be unsettled at a communist victory in Korea

  - The stability established in Europe may also become weakened at a communist victory
• What was decided at the UN when the Korean war began?

  -USA requested a special session of the Security Council

  - USSR was boycotting the Security council as it recognised the Republic of China under Jiang Jieshi as the legitimate government and not the People's Republic of China under Mao.

  - This meant the USSR could not use their powers of veto to block the Security Council's actions.

  - A resolution requiring an immediate ceasefire was passed without opposition

  - Truman was able to legitimise intervention in Korea by turning the process into UN intervention

  - Removed the possibility of the US appearing to be unilaterally implementing containment on a global scale

  - The resolution endorsed US policy