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THE KOREAN WAR - Coggle Diagram
THE KOREAN WAR
SUMMARY OF THE EVENTS
- During WW2, Korea had been ruled by Japan. However, the Soviets had liberated the North meaning a communist government took power north of a line of division called the 38th parallel. This new communist government was lead. by Kim II Sung
- South of the 38th parallel an anti-Communist dictator called Syngmann Rhea took power. Even though he was a dictator, the USA supported him because he was anti-communist.
- Rhee foolishly spoke publicly on wishing to invade the North. As such Kim II Sung launched what he saw as a pre-emptive attack. on the South in June 1950
- By September the communists had taken over all but a tiny corner of the South. Truman could not accept this and worried that the fall of Korea would lead to others falling (the domino affect)
- America entered this proxy war through the United Nations (which it funded heavily). The USSR was not a member of the UN so could not veto US involvement in Korea.
- The US state department declared "Korea is a symbol to the watching world." 18 states helped but overwhelmingly the UN forces were American soldiers and were lead by General Douglas MacArthur- an experienced WW1 General who had defeated the Japanese in the Philippines- he is said to have had a 'bullying no-nonsense style"
- Thanks to this, in the month of October 1950, the South under his guidance had marched north of the 38th parallel after successful landings at the the western port of Inchon where they placed a pincer movement on the North and were rolling communism back (rollback) into the North with the new objective of kicking communism out of Korea completely
- However, 200,000 Chinese red soldiers under Mao's orders landed and tried to fight the UNO soldiers with tactics that lead to mass casualties. These Chinese tactics were known as 'Meat grinder tactics' because so many were allowed to be slaughtered.
- UN soldiers were forced back to the 38th parallel by January 1951. MacArthur now wanted to destroy communism in North Korea and China and went public with this in March 1951. As a result of this aggression, Truman decided to recall him.
- Truman was happy enough just to contain communism. Russia had acquired nuclear weapons in 1949 and Truman didn't want to risk a nuclear war.
- Death of Stalin and Truman leaving office resulted in end of hostilities in July 1953. A total of 1.4 million people had died in this war the majority of them being Korean (1.28 million)
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IMPACTS OF THE WAR
ON KOREA
After the war, North Korea and South Korea remained divided. Families were broken up by the war and lived on opposite sides of the demilitarised zone, unable to visit or even communicate with each other.
The impact of the Korean War on the civilian population was especially dramatic. Korean civilian casualties - dead, wounded and missing - totalled between three and four million during the three years of war (1950-1953).
The war was disastrous for all of Korea, destroying most of its industry. North Korea fell into poverty and could not keep up with South Korea's economic pace.
ON USA
The USA managed to prevent South Korea falling into communist hands but the fear of the domino theory was to impact on US foreign policy decisions for the next 20 years.
The war led to massive American rearmament. Their defence budget shot up to $48 billion in 1951 and $60 billion by 1952.
The USA made a series of alliances including one with the Philippines and in 1951 they signed the ANZUS Pact with Australia and New Zealand.
The USA made the decision to help rebuild Japan and a final peace treaty was signed with Japan in 1951 signalling the end of US occupation.
The Korean War had a further legacy as well with 50,000 American soldiers killed. It was also the first war that the US entered and did not win outright.
ON CHINA
In 1960, China broke from the Soviet Union in an event known as the Sino-Soviet Split, creating tension amongst all communist powers.
The Chinese came to feel that the Soviet Union was both an unreliable and demanding ally and took greater steps to ensure independence from the USSR in the years following the war
ON USSR
The war increased tension between the USSR and China as they squabbled over who should pay the bill for it.
WHY THE USA GOT INVOLVED
POLITICAL REASONS
The USA had been heavily involved in the creation of South Korea, it would be embarrassing to have it taken over
USA had recently adopted the Truman Doctrine- containment and assumed the invasion was all part of a grand Soviet plan
If South Korea, Japan and Formosa (Taiwan) fell, communism would be dominant in Asia
If no action was taken, it may encourage the Soviets to try make for gains in Europe.
MILITARY REASONS
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America wanted not just to contain communism - they also wanted to prevent the domino effect. Truman was worried that if Korea fell, the next country to fall would be Japan, which was very important for American trade.
General MacArthur had assured Truman that victory was likely. They also hoped to take advantage of the USSR’s boycott of the UN to get the UN to agree to military help for South Korea