chapter 3 cold war Flashcards
When was the Korean War?
The Korean War began in June 1950 and finished in 1954.
What were the key phases of the Korean War?
North Korea invaded South Korea on 25th June, 1950.
❖A UN army, made up mostly of American military and led by General Douglas MacArthur, arrived in Korea in September 1950 to push back against the North Korean invasion.
❖In October 1950, UN forces advanced into North Korean territory.
❖On 25th October, China entered the war. Together with the North Korean army, they pushed the UN forces back below the 38th parallel. This resulted in a stalemate for over two years.
❖After peace talks on 27th July, 1953, the UN, China and North Korea signed a peace treaty.
Why did the UN get involved in the Korean War?
When the south was invaded, the USA brought the matter to the UN which passed a resolution calling for North Korea to withdraw. When it did not, the UN sent international troops - mostly American - to force it out. In this way the USA could argue it was acting against international aggression rather than following its containment policy.
Why did America get involved in the Korean War?
❖President Truman was concerned communism was spreading in Asia.
❖China’s fall to communism in 1949 heightened this fear.
❖Truman was also concerned about Stalin’s use of Cominform to encourage countries to turn to communism.
What was America’s role in the Korean War?
United Nations troops, mainly American and led by US General Douglas MacArthur, were sent to Korea. The North was supported by the Soviet Union.
❖UN forces were able to push North Korea back to the Chinese border, but in late 1950 China joined the war and the UN had to retreat.
What effect did the Korean War have on America?
❖It demonstrated the USA’s commitment to containing communism and led to a tripling of military spending to prevent its spread.
❖To stop the spread of communism in Asia, the Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) was set up in September 1954. Britain, Pakistan, USA, Thailand, France, Australia, the Philippines and New Zealand all joined.
❖The sacking of General MacArthur over his proposal to deploy nuclear bombs against North Korea underlined the USA’s caution with regard to using nuclear weapons.
❖The Soviet Union doubled the size of the Red Army, from 2.8 million in 1950 to 5.6 million in 1955.
❖As the war did not escalate further, it showed neither superpower was prepared to engage in direct military confrontation with the other, preferring instead to fight proxy wars.
How many people were killed in the Korean War?
❖30,000 American troops were killed.
❖4,500 UN troops from other countries were killed.
❖Approximately 70,000 South Korean soldiers died.
❖About 500,000 South Korean civilians were killed.
❖An estimated 780,000 North Korean and Chinese soldiers and civilians died in the war.
Why was the Armistice signed in the Korean War?
❖Eisenhower had replaced Truman as president and was keen to end the war.
❖Stalin’s death in 1953 made China and North Korea less confident.
How did China get involved in the Korean War?
❖As UN troops approached its borders, China feared an invasion of its territory and launched a huge counter-attack of 200,000 soldiers.
❖UN forces were driven south, back over the 38th parallel.
❖Seoul was recaptured by communist forces.
❖The UN forces eventually stabilised around the 37th parallel.
When did North Korea invade South Korea?
North Korea invaded South Korea on 25th June, 1950.
Why did North Korea invade South Korea?
❖North Korea invaded the south because Kim Il-Sung wanted to unite Korea under communist rule. By June 1950, he was confident an invasion would be successful.
❖Kim Il-Sung had the support of communist leaders - Stalin in the USSR, and Mao Zedong in China.
❖North Korea’s armed forces were stronger than those of South Korea. The USSR had provided tanks, planes and heavy artillery.
❖China became communist in 1949 and, after August that year, the USSR had the atom bomb. Kim Il-Sung thought these factors would deter a US response.
❖American politicians had made speeches suggesting Korea was not seen as a priority.
Why were North Korean troops able to invade South Korea so easily?
Very few American troops were available to help the South Koreans defend their territory, making it easier for the north to invade.
Why did America defend South Korea during the invasion?
❖It had been involved in establishing the Republic of Korea.
❖It was determined, under its policy of containment, to prevent further communist expansion.
❖It was concerned the invasion of South Korea might encourage a Chinese attack on Formosa (Taiwan) and lead to a massive shift in world power from capitalism to communism.
❖If the UN had failed to act, it is likely America would have taken action on its own to prevent this.
What was America’s response to the invasion of South Korea?
The USA put pressure on the United Nations to condemn the North Korean invasion. It took control of the subsequent UN invasion and supplied by far the largest number of troops.
How was the UN influenced by America in the invasion of South Korea?
❖The UN forces were commanded by General MacArthur, an American.
❖Half the ground forces were American.
❖America contributed more than 90% of the air forces.
❖85% of the naval forces were American.
Why did the USA’s response to the invasion of South Korea lead to some people calling it ‘America’s war’?
❖The amount of troops the USA sent to support UN forces - 302,483 soldiers in total. The UK sent the second highest number of troops, but that was only 14,198.
❖An American, General MacArthur, led the UN army in Korea.
❖It was widely known the forces took their orders from the USA rather than from the United Nations.
What was the significance of General Douglas MacArthur’s role during the Korean War?
❖He was responsible for changing the tide of events, masterminding the Inchon Landing, and was able to recapture South Korea at the start of the war.
❖His actions led to China’s involvement, which turned the tide again - but this time not in the UN’s favour.
❖He was sacked by President Truman for disregarding orders and was replaced by Lieutenant General Ridgeway.
❖His attitude regarding nuclear warfare was heavily criticised. Some people felt there was a real danger of the conflict becoming nuclear and MacArthur was pushing towards this.
❖He wrote a public letter criticising President Truman.
How successful was American intervention in Korea?
❖South Korea remained out of communist hands.
❖The UN was shown to be more purposeful than the League of Nations had been, in using military sanctions to stop an act of aggression.
❖It confirmed US policy in Asia and led to the setting up of SEATO.
ow was American intervention in Korea unsuccessful?
❖It was costly in terms of life and money. The number of Americans who died per year was actually higher than during the Vietnam War.
❖It failed to liberate North Korea from communism.
❖It highlighted tension between American leaders, those who wanted to contain and prevent the spread of communism, and those who wanted to push back and win back communist countries.
❖When China involved itself in the war it became a new major threat for the USA. Even after the fighting had stopped, US soldiers remained stationed in South Korea which irritated the Chinese government and put pressure on relations between the two countries.
❖It had a devastating impact on the Korean people. Around a 10th of the population died.
What was peaceful coexistence?
In terms of the Cold War, peaceful coexistence is the policy of accepting the existence of the other superpower so that both sides could exist without having to resort to war. It meant living in peace with each other, although competition between the two superpowers could continue.
When was peaceful coexistence?
The period of peaceful coexistence occurred in the early 1950s.
Who was responsible for peaceful coexistence?
Nikita Khrushchev, the leader of the USSR between 1953 and 1964, is associated with the policy of peaceful coexistence.
Why was peaceful coexistence created?
❖The USSR wanted to improve its relationship with the USA.
❖Khrushchev believed the USSR was superior to the USA. Communism would win when the capitalist system collapsed, so there was little point starting a war with the USA.
❖The Korean War ended in 1953 so the tension between the USSR and the USA was reducing.
❖By reducing tension and accepting peaceful coexistence, it was hoped that spending on the arms race could be reduced.
What happened during peaceful coexistence?
❖An agreement between the USA, France, Britain and the USSR. They discussed how Austria should be ruled, as it was still occupied after the Second World War.
❖In the Geneva Summit of July 1955, the USSR, the USA, France and Britain discussed disarmament and Germany. Despite no formal agreements, the East-West relationship improved slightly.
