7. Korean War

Question 1

How did USA view the establishment of the People’s republic of China? (3)

Answer 1

• Since the 1920s Chinese communists led by Mao Zedong had been fighting a civil war with Chiang Kai-Shek’s KMT
• However in October 1949, Mao’s communists won control and established the People’s Republic of China
• the USA saw this as a setback for democracy

Question 2

Role of USSR in China

Answer 2

• In 1950 Stalin agreed a Treaty of Friendship which committed the USSR to supporting China’s economic, technological and military development

Question 3

Chinese communist leader

Answer 3

Mao Zedong

Question 4

Chinese opponent to Mao

Answer 4

Chiang Kai-Shek

Question 5

What happened October 1949?

Answer 5

Mao’s communists won control and established the People’s Republic of China

Question 6

Why Truman felt that USA had to stand up to communism in Asia and Korea (4)

Answer 6

• the USA was concerned that USSR and China were now allies since China was a vast country with a massive population and huge resources
• The USA (wrongly) suspected that the fall of China was part of Stalin’s scheme to spread communism around the world
• China’s fall to communism came shortly after the USSR successful exploded its first atomic bomb
• Truman also came under massive pressure at home to stand up to the communists more forcefully

Question 7

Where in Korea were the two superpowers located ? (3)

Answer 7

• The country was partitioned along the 38th parallel of latitude after Korea had been freed from Japanese control in 1945 until elections were held and country reunified
• USSR in north
• USA in south

Question 8

Disagreements over what kind of country Korea should become (3)

Answer 8

• USSR was keen to see the election of a government sympathetic to communism
• The USA sought the establishment of a regime that would ensure the introduction of a capitalist democracy
• Once the Soviet and US forced left Korea in 1949, two separate governments had been established to run the country

Question 10

Government in the north (3)

Answer 10

• Communist Regime
• Kim Il sung
• Korean People’s Democratic Republic, commonly known as North Korea

Question 11

Government in the south (3)

Answer 11

• capitalist dictatorship
• Syngman Rhee
• Republic of Korea, or South Korea

Question 12

Who invaded in korea first ? (3)

Answer 12

• Kim Il Sung acted first
• Securing The support of both Mao and Stalin he invaded South Korea on 25th June 1950
• Within days the capital Seoul had been captured by North Korean forces

Question 13

Reasons the USA asked the UN to intervene in Korea to stop the attack (4)

Answer 13

• USA believed Stalin had encouraged the invasion
• Feared a domino effect
• within the UN, the USA changed its policy of containment to rollback
• Which was the belief that communism should be attacked and pushed back

Question 14

Why did the invasion occur ? (2)

Answer 14

• Kim believed that Rhee was unpopular because of the dictatorial manner in which Rhee was running SK
• Believed The people of SK would welcome the NKoreans

Question 15

UN response to the invasion and USA’s change of policy (3)

Answer 15

• Agreed with the US interpretation of the events
• Condemned The attack
• Put together a military force to stop the invasion

Question 16

Why couldn’t the USSR object to the UN’s actions ?

Answer 16

• It was boycotting the UN in protest at the USA’s refusal to allow communist China to sit on the UN Security Council

Question 17

Role of USSR in invasion of North Korea (6)

Answer 17

• USSR didn’t enter the war directly for fear of provoking a world war
• secretly helped the N Koreans and the Chinese throughout the conflict by providing:
• ‘Advisers‘
• Weapons
• Doctors
• 63 fighter planes which had Chinese markings and were flown by Soviet pilots dressed in Chinese uniforms

Question 18

Role of China in the invasion of North Korea (2)

Answer 18

• Feared The USA would take the opportunity to invade China as well
• As a result in November 1950, more than 250,000 Chinese troops (called volunteers) invaded North Korea in November 1950 and pushed the UN forces back over the 38th parallel

Question 19

Why did Truman refuse to consent to an increase in the conflict by using an atomic bomb ? (2)

Answer 19

• He feared direct Soviet intervention, decided on containment rather than rollback
• Therefore he sacked MacArthur in April 1951 after he openly criticised the Presidents Policies

Question 20

Which leaders and when settled on a ceasefire of the Korean War ? (2)

Answer 20

• Peace talks had begun in June 1951 but were unable to find a solution acceptable to all sides
• There was a change in leadership which offered the opportunity for an end to the war, and in July 1953 Dwight. D Eisenhower and Khrushchev agreed a ceasefire at Panmunjom

Question 21

How did Eisenhower assist the conclusion of negotiations and what happened ? (2)

Answer 21

• He threatened to use nuclear weapons against China
• Peace Treaty wasn’t signed but the agreement saw the creation of a permanent border and a demilitarised zone between the two states

Question 22

Conclusion about Korean War (2)

Answer 22

• Korea was where the Cold War became hot for the first time
• Korean War indicated that the USA was now committed to pursuing a policy of containment anywhere in the world if its interests were felt to be under threat, even if this meant committing troops to combat situations

Question 23

Consequences of the Korean War and impact on relations (7)

Answer 23

• More than 2 million people had died
• Containment had worked - communism had not spread into South Korea - but rollback had failed
• Relationship between North And South Korea remained tense and bitter
• US-Chinese Relations deteriorated further
• USA signed a peace treaty, ended military occupation and invested heavily in Japanese economy
• US signed agreements with the Philippines, Australia and NZ, which confirmed its position as the protector of the region
• NATO was changed from a mainly political association into a full-blown military alliance