Chapter 6: Korean War Causes Flashcards
What happened to Korea at Potsdam?
The Korean peninsula was taken from Japanese control and divided into two zones of occupation. Division was at the 38th parallel with the Soviet zone in the North and the US zone in the South.
How was the Korean situation in 1945 similar and dissimilar to Germany?
Divided between the superpowers, however unlike Germany Korea appeared to be only of marginal interest to the superpowers.
What was the requirement for the USA and USSR’s leaders of South and North Korea?
Both wanted to install leaders whom they believed they could control.
Who was the leader of South (USA’s part) Korea?
Synngman Rhee
Who was the leader of North (USSR’s part) Korea?
Kim Il Sung
What were the leaders of North and South committed to?
The restoration of a united Korea under a single leader.
What was leader of the South, Syngman Rhee stance?
Nationalist and extremely anti-communist. Wanted Korea to be united and anti-communist, and the removal of communism from the North and make Korea stronger so it could resist any threats from the USSR.
What was the leader of the North, Kim Il Sung’s stance?
He was committed to using force as the vehicle to achieve unification. This process began with the development of extensive guerrilla action by the North, which aimed to destabilise the South and undermine Rhee’s regime.
What was Kim Il Sung aware of surrounding the Cold War?
Aware of the wider Cold War context of Korea and was concious of the significance of the Soviet Union’s nuclear technology, whilst fearing the possible consequences for North Korea of a US-Japanese relationship.
What strategy did Kim Il Sung adopt?
One based on winning external support. He wanted to use the collective power of the communist world in order to increase the North’s strength against South Korea and its Western allies.
Who did Kim Il Sung pressurise?
China and the USSR. He attempted to undermine Stalin’s support when talking to Mao Zedong and Mao’s support when talking to Stalin.
What did Kim Il Sung focus on in order to persuade Stalin to support an attack on the South?
It would be a rapid and decisive victory, there was a hard core of 200,000 communist supporters already in the South, there was a well-organised communist guerrilla force operating in the South and the USA would not have time to intervene.
