Events of the Korean War Flashcards
When was the Korean War?
1950-53
When did the Korean War begin?
June 1950
How did the Korean War begin?
North Korea invaded South Korea
By early September, where did North Korean troops control?
All of Korea except for Pusan (south east corner)
Why was Truman worried about South Korea falling to Communist?
He feared the domino effect. He worried if one country fell to communism, others would too
What did South Korea do as a result of the invasion?
Appealed to the UN for support
How many North Korean troops invaded South Korea?
75,000
What did the USA do when South Korea appealed for help?
1) Initially, called on the North Korean forces to withdraw
2) When this was ignored, it pushed through a resolution to send a UN army to Korea
What was the ‘domino effect’?
The idea that communism could spread from one country to the next, like a row of dominoes
Why did the USSR not veto the United States’ resolution?
It was absent because it was boycotting the UN
Why was the USSR boycotting the UN
Because the UN was refusing to allow Communist China to join
What did the UN Resolution provide for?
It gave approval for a UN army to support South Korea
How many different nations provided troops for the UN army?
16
Who provided most of the troops for the UN Army?
The USA
Roughly what percentage of the UN Army was made up of UN troops?
More than 80%
Who was put in charge of the UN Army?
Douglas MacArthur
What did the UN launch at Inchon on 15 September 1950?
An amphibious (by water and land) assault at Inchon
Where did the UN launch its amphibious assault?
Inchon
By September 1950, what had the UN gained control of?
All of South Korea?
Where did MacArthur push onto after regaining control of South Korea?
North Korea - all the way up to the Yalu River
What does the Yalu River mark?
The border between North Korea and China
Why did China provide support to North Korea
1) It did not want to be invaded
2) China was also communist
How many troops did China provide to support the North Koreans?
Between 200,000 and 250,000
What were the Chinese troops known as?
The People’s Army
The Chinese troops (the People’s Army) used modern tanks and planes. Where had they got them from?
The Soviet Union
What had the Chinese troops (the People’s Army) received from the Soviet Union
Modern tanks and planes
Where were the UN forces pushed back to by the North Koreans and Chinese forces?
The 38th Parallel
By 1951, what did MacArthur start pushing for?
1) To invade China
2) To use nuclear weapons if necessary
Who did MacArthur fall out with in 1951?
Truman - who told him he could not attack China
Why did Truman not want MacArthur to attack China?
It might start a bigger war with the USSR getting involved (who now had nuclear weapons)
What did Truman do in April 1951?
He sacked MacArthur
What did general Omar Bradley say about MacArthur’s strategy?
It would have “involved America in the wrong war, in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and with the wrong enemy”
When did peace talks between the North and South begin?
1951
When was an armistice (ceasefire) finally signed?
July 1953
Why did it take so long for the two sides to agree?
Partly because Mao, the leader of China, wanted to win the favour of Stalin by killing as many Americans as possible. He called the war ‘the meat grinder’.
Who died in 1953?
Stalin
What was significant about Stalin’s death?
It made the North Koreans and Chinese less confident
In what ways was Korea a success for containment?
The Communism North Koreans were, ultimately, contained. South Korea to this day remains a capitalism country
In what ways was Korea a failure for the USA?
- It cost a huge number of American lives (30,000 troops - more fatalities per year than the Vietnam War per year)
- It showed the disagreements between US leaders: some wanted to ‘roll back’ (push back) Communism; others wanted to contain it.
Why was it so important for Truman to use the UN?
So he could say it was a UN sponsored invasion - and the USA was not just acting alone. (This made it seem more democratic and legitimate.)
What UN Security Council Resolution 82?
The first resolution (decision) issued by the UN in 1950, calling on the North to withdraw from South Korea
What was UN Security Council Resolution 83?
After the first resolution (82) was ignored by North Korea, Resolution 83 allowed the UN to provide military ‘assistance’ to South Korea - i.e. send troops
Why did Truman have a lot of influence over the UN?
The USA was the biggest contributor to the UN budget - giving Truman significant influence over it
