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Factors that caused the Korean War to break out, Escalation of Korean War,…
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Escalation of Korean War
- Expansion of Communism in China
- Chinese Civil War resumed after the end of WWII
- Chinese Communist Party led by Mao Zedong vs Guomingdang (GMD) led by Chiang Kai-shek
- CCP was victorious and China became a communist state in October 1949
- Despite the US's aid (1946-1949: US pumped US$2 billion in aid to supported the GMD nationalists), GMD lost and established themselves in Formosa (Taiwan)
- There now exists a massive new communist state in Asia, which made the US worried about the spread of communism in Asia
- The Soviets were delighted with communist victory in China (USSR supported Mao's CCP during Chinese Civil War)
- Feb 1950: the two communist powers signed the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance (agreements about land and transport in East Asia + loan of $300 million from the USSR to help China rebuild
- Communist China alarmed the US and forced Truman to rethink its foreign policy in East Asia
- USSR now had a powerful new ally against the US -> made the US feel threatened
- In Aug 1949, USSR successfully detonated its first atomic bomb
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- US no longer had the upper hand in the Cold War (both had atomic bombs)
- By late 1949 and early 1950, Stalin's decision to support Kim's request to invade South Korea became less difficult
- USSR had the upper hand after a new major communist state, China, was established in Oct 1949
- US Response and Shift in Position
- Other than Communist China, US spies reported to Truman that Stalin was using Cominform to help communists win power in Malaya, Indonesia, Burma, Philippines and Korea
- By April 1950, US defensive perimeter was effectively expanding to oppose any attempt to spread communism in Asia
-> Drew up a top-secret report, National Security Council Paper No. 68. (NSC-68) -> Strategy of Containment
- NSC-68 would go on to influence American containment policy for the duration of the Cold War
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- Increased US fears of a worldwide conspiracy led by Stalin - that communist countries were acting together to spread communism and would overrun Asia -> US was determined to stop Stalin
- NSC-68 forced Truman to intervene in Korea if a war broke out. He could not risk the possibility of a communist victory in Korea, which would be a humiliation for the US
- Stalin and Mao Shift their Position
- Stalin saw that having control and influence over North Korea would provide the USSR with a platform to spread communist ideology and to counterbalance the United States' influence in Japan
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- Provided Stalin the ability to supply troops to support North Korea should a war break out + deter Americans from trying to expand their influence in Asia
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- China provided military support to North Korea (while asking for Soviet air support). Confident that they could take on the Americans and wanted to prove their might as a new country
- Kim now had the military backing of China and Stalin's support to launch a full-scale invasion of South Korea
Triggers of Korean War
- North Korea invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950
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- To provide military support to help South Korea fight against North Korea
Truman immediately sent advisors, supplies and warships to the waters around Korea
Truman put enormous pressure on the United Nations Security Council to condemn the North Koreans' actions
- Both the US and USSR were permanent members of the UN Security Council, which gave them the power to veto any decision made by the UN
- Truman wanted the UN to intervene in Korea
- However, the USSR was boycotting the UN (USSR was protesting against the UN's refusal to grant membership to communist China after the Civil War) -> not present to use its veto when the resolutions on Korea were passed
- US was the biggest contributor to the UN budget = could influence the UN deicision
- US was also the largest contributor of troops to the UN forces, which were under the command of US General Douglas MacArthur
The UN was now committed to using member forces to drive North Korean troops out of South Korea -> able to escalate the conflict further
Events in the War
Jun - Sep 1950
- North Korean forces advanced rapidly and captured Seoul, the capital of South Korea, and were soon in command of most of South Korea
- South Korean forces held on to a small area around the port of Busan, which allowed UN forces to reinforce them and hold back the North Korean advance
Sep - Mid-Oct 1950
- Sep 1950: UN forces landed at Incheon, near Seoul. At the same time, the UN forces in Busan drove the North Koreans back
- MacArthur wanted to continue northwards to eradicate communism decisively
- The UN approved a plan to advance into North Korea, but Truman warned MacArthur to limit operations north of the 38th parallel (did not want Chinese and Soviets to get involved)
- China threatened to launch a full-scale war if the Americans crossed the 38th parallel and advanced towards the Yalu River, but MacArthur continued to advance into North Korea
- Mao did not want a unified non-communist Korea on his border + felt his personal prestige and China's prestige were at stake
Mid Oct 1950 - Apr 1951
- Mid-Oct 1950: Chinese forces began crossing into North Korea secretly
- MacArthur defied direct orders from Truman and the UN, and continued advancing towards the Yalu (Amnok) River. He was also ready to use the atomic bomb against China and North Korea
- Late Oct 1950, 200,000 Chinese troops joined the North Koreans. They were highly motivated and equipped with Soviet tanks and aircraft
- Dec 1950 - Jan 1951: UN forces were pushed back into South Korea
- Apr 1951: Truman dismisses MacArthur, Truman replaced General Matthew Ridgway as Commander
1951 - 1953
- Jul 1951: UN troops recovered and resumed their attacks towards the north.
- Armistice talks began at Panmunjom
- Jun 1951 - jul 1953: The fighting reached a stalemate and the armistice talks stalled due to disagreements over the terms
- Apr-Jul 1953: The armistice talks resumed at Panmunjom and the armistice was signed later, with a ceasefire agreed
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