4. Korean War

Question 1

North Korean was C……..?

Answer 1

Communist

Question 2

South Korea was C………?

Answer 2

Capitalist

Question 3

Who was the leader in the North and 3 facts about them?

Answer 3

Kim Il Sung

…WW2: USSR and Red Army
…CCP: anti Japanese guerrilla activities
…lower middle class family

Question 4

Who was the leader of the South and 3 facts about them?

Answer 4

Syngman Rhee

…middle class rural family
…military nationalistic
…protests against Japanese and Russian influence

Question 5

Capital of North?

Answer 5

Pyongyang

Question 6

Capital of South?

Answer 6

Seoul

Question 7

What is the name of the ‘line’ separating North and South Korea?

Answer 7

38th Parallel

Question 8

Who was John Hodge and what 3 things did he do?

Answer 8

…ignores Korean People’s Republic
…uses collaborators
…racist …“all the same breed of cat”

Question 9

Why did Syngman Rhee become unpopular?

Answer 9

April 1948- May 1949

Jeju Uprising

Opposition to division of Korea

Protests

14,000 to 30,000 killed

Aug 1948…Rhee escalated suppression

Eradication campaign defeated rebels in 2 months

Violence against civilians

Question 10

How can we blame Rhee for the Korean War?

4 reasons

Answer 10

1. Rebels in South = encourage Kim as he could gain support
2. Rhee was persecuting his people, 14,000 to 30,000 killed = encourage Kim because he could gain support
3. Competitor Kim Gu’s assassination…Rhee was a dictator so Gu was a strong and popular opponent. With Gu being killed = opposition to Rhee
4. Rhee = dummy..
   1950: 30,000 alleged Communists in prisons
   300,000 suspected sympathisers in re-education camps = Bodo League
   = encouraged Rhee as he could gain support

Question 11

How can we blame Russia for the Korean War?

4 reasons

Answer 11

1. Kim needed Stalin’s approval
   March 1950: Kim given go ahead
   Provided Kim with tanks, air support and Soviet military advisors
2. Communism
   …feared Japanese insurgent, so Communism would be safer if all of Korea was Communist
3. Acheson

…speech = no US defence of Korea = Stalin and Kim could take over Korea without fear of USA

4. Benefits for Stalin
   …wouldn’t cost lots of money
   …distract USA from Europe, so Stalin could feel more secure

Question 12

How can we blame the USA for the Korean War?

4 reasons

Answer 12

1. Hodge 
...racist = aggrivation 
...ignores KPR
...uses collaborators 
...uneducated in Korea 

2. Lack of US military support
   …USSR supplied North with best tank of WW2 = T34 and Yak fighter jets
   …USA refused to supply Rhee with any heavy equipment = weak South force
   …South Korean army had few tanks or any anti tank weapons
3. Spring 1950
   …Acheson’s Speech 12th Jan = said that US would not protect Korea = opportunity for Kim and Stalin PLUS after Acheson’s speech…Stalin said yes
   …Jan 1950: Congress rejected bill aid for Korea
4. Lack of Stalin’s awareness of NSC 68
   = document to summarise where US stood in relation to Communism