2 -- Korean War [done]

Question 1

What caused tensions between NK and SK after WWII?

Answer 1

1. Difference in backing power
   [NK] Backed by USSR, which provided military support and supplies to strengthen the communist presence in Asia-Pacific.
   [SK] Backed by USA, which provided economic aid and supplies to help them fight against communist SK
2. Difference in leader
   [NK] Kim Il Sung, used propaganda and built a cult of personality. He wanted to unite Korea and deny SK’s legitimacy.
   [SK] Syngman Rhee wanted Korea’s independence and unite it, denying NK’s legitmacy.
3. Difference in military capabilities
   [NK] Kim made trips to USSR and China to cultivate ties between them and persuaded them to help NK more. Stalin sent advisors and gun, tanks and artillery to them. NK was well-trained and well-equipped.
   [SK] Rhee tended towards violence and didn’t hesitate to kill people & start conflicts. USA didn’t like his aggression and were less willing to support him with heavy weapons. They were scared of him starting a conflict with USA support. They were provided with limited economic aid and poorly trained.

Question 2

Why was/wasn’t Korea important to USSR/USA during the Cold War?

Answer 2

USSR - Strategic location

• Korea was a suitable strategic location in the Asia-Pacific to counter American presence in Japan

USA - There were alternatives

• Trading opportunities were better in the Philippines
• Spread of communism in Asia could be countered by building a base in Taiwan

Question 3

Why did USSR involve itself in the Korean War?

Answer 3

1. Soviet gaining atomic parity

• In August 1949, USSR exploded its first atomic bomb
• USA would no longer be able to use it as a threat in diplomacy with USSR any longer
• USSR felt safer to support NK’s invasion

2. Communist victory in China

• Mao Zedong led the CCP to victory in the Chinese Civil War in 1949
• China could provide supplies and troops to NK while USSR didn’t have to do anything
• China had a stake as it could use NK as a buffer zone against the American forces in Japan and South Korea

Question 4

Why did USA involve itself in the Korean War?

Answer 4

Paranoia about spread of communism in Asia

• USSR’s atomic parity took away USA’s advantage over them
• China fell to communism, which made Americans convinced that other countries would also fall to it shortly
• NSC-68 report argued a stronger military was required to protect USA and contain communism
• Described USA as being on the good side, and USSR as being the bad side

Question 5

Explain how the Korean War was more of a civil war than a proxy war.

3 main categories

Answer 5

1. Withdrawal of superpowers from Korea

• NK asked for withdrawal of USSR forces from as early as 1947
• USSR withdrew its advisors and forces in 1948, while USA did so in 1949
• NK was well-trained and well-equipped, while SK was poorly-trained and poorly-equipped.

2. Limited support from superpowers

• USSR provided advisors, guns, tanks and artillery to NK, but did not provide their soldiers
• USSR was more willing to help as Acheson’s speech did not include Korea in USA’s defence perimeter
• on the other hand, USA did not provide a lot of economic and weapon aid to SK, since they didn’t like Rhee who was violent and aggressive and might start a war with USA’s support
• they also focused on building Japan’s economy
• they felt the conflict was political in nature and not military, so they gave SK more money instead of arms to fight communism

3. Border clashes between NK and SK

• border clashes took place between 1949-1950, and were initiated by SK
• in July, 1949, SK warships attacked the Taedong River and provoked the NKPA to retaliate, leading to heavy casualties
• it also showed SK’s inability to launch successful offensives
• many deserted to NK, showing Rhee’s unpopularity
• SK also lost favour with USA who further reduced support for them.

Question 6

Explain how the USA and UN involved themselves in the Korean War.

Answer 6

The US thought NK was influenced by the USSR to begin invading SK in order to help Stalin spread his communist SOI.

• afraid that if Korea fell, other countries in the Asia-Pacific would fall too
• decided that American intervention would be necessary to contain communism globally
• also wanted to expand capitalism in Korea
• and protect economic interests in Japan

The USA thought that if the UN did not take a firm stance on the invasion of Korea, it would lose all of its credibility and be unable to check future aggressions.

• USA mobilised the UN, which condemned NK’s invasion of SK, but they did not respond to the Security Council Resolution
• 16 member states contributed to UN forces which combined with US forces to help SK
• SK forces were extremely reliant on the external forces’ leadership and logistics
• UN forces made a landing at Inchon port with 261 ships, forcing NK forces to flee across the 38th parallel

Question 7

Explain how China involved itself in the Korean War.

Answer 7

As SK forces moved further into NK with the UN’s help, China warned them not to push any further or China would be forces to react.

• they were approaching the Chinese border, and China warned that it would enter the war to defend its border
• Chinese troops entered NK secretly in preparation for attack
• Truman ordered MacArthur to stop and not provoke China, but he continued on
• the Chinese forces caught the UN forces by surprise and caused them to retreat across the 38th parallel

Question 8

State how the Korean War eventually ended.

(i don’t think it can become a DEXA)

Answer 8

USA, USSR and China eventually all had heavy casualties and wanted the Korean War to end. However, the leaders of NK and SK refused to do so until Korea was unified.

• without equipment support from the superpowers, it was impossible for the war to continue as the Korean soldiers couldn’t sustain the fighting themselves
• eventually, the superpowers forced them to sign a temporary armistice
• the terms were unsatisfactory to both parties, and eventually Eisenhower came into power and threatened the use of nukes on China and NK if they would not sign
• both parties conceded and signed the armistice

Question 9

How did the Korean War impact the rest of the Cold War?

Answer 9

1. Set the precedence for proxy wars

• the Korean War was basically the first proxy war in the Cold War ever
• USA and USSR both tried to spread their SOI in other countries beyond Europ using propaganda and aid
• E.g. Vietnam War, CMC

2. Intensified US involvement in the Asia-Pacific
   - China looked dangerous to USA because they fell to communism
   - they thought USSR was succeeding in their plans of dominating the world and sought to further increase their own SOI in Asia

• they speedran economic reconstruction in Japan so its government would not, in desperation, turn to communism
• protecting Japan also allows for the establishment of a base in the Asia-Pacific, allowing for resupplies
• SEATO was also formed to host joint military exercises and improve SOL in SEA states and improve trade
• mainly to reduce risk of spread of communism

3. Escalated military tenions between Western and communist bloc in Europe

• Korean War made NATO members worried and militarise to prepare to counter communism
• military exercises were held and more member states were invited in
• in responses, the Warsaw Pact was formed to consist of its EE satellite states, which acted similar to the NATO
• rivalry between the 2 superpowers led to increasing tensions in Europe