Korea

Question 1

1945

Answer 1

Korean peninsula split along the 38th Parallel

Question 2

3 April 1948 - May 1949

Answer 2

Jeju Island Uprising
Subversive actions by the North in the South to increase support.

Question 3

May 1948

Answer 3

Elections by the USA in SK

Question 4

Aug 1948

Answer 4

ROK declared

Question 5

Sept 1948

Answer 5

Elections in NK, DPRK established

Question 6

Dec 1948

Answer 6

USSR withdrawal from DPRK

Question 7

June 1949

Answer 7

US withdrawal from SK, leaving 500 personnel

Question 8

Aug 1949

Answer 8

Successful Soviet nuclear test
Soviets gain nuclear parity with the US.

Question 9

Oct 1949

Answer 9

CCP wins Chinese Civil War
Created a more favourable international climate for the Soviet Union

Question 10

Jan 1950

Answer 10

Defense Perimeter Speech
Officially excluded SK from USA’s defence perimeter in Asia (the list of countries that the US was obliged to aid in case of an invasion)
Soviet perception: Americans did not put emphasis on South Korean security and is unlikely that they would intervene in a case of invasion of SK

Question 11

Feb 1950

Answer 11

Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliances and Mutual Assistance Established
It meant that China could provide assistance to NK if invasion encountered difficulties as USSR did not want to be directly involved as it no longer wants to be entangled in a war against US → Significance: significant development that made USSR more willing to support Kim for his ambitions

Question 12

Apr 1950

Answer 12

Stalin agreed to help Kim
Only indirect support (advisers to train NKPA, provided military equipments)

Question 13

Apr 1950

Answer 13

Release of NSC-68 Report
Concluded that the only plausible way to deter the Soviet Union was for President Harry Truman to support a massive build-up of both conventional and nuclear arms.
Part of the formulation of US Cold War policy → drastic increase in US military spending

Question 14

25 Jun 1950

Answer 14

Start of the Korean War
NK invades SK.
UNSC demanded that NK cease its invasion

Question 15

27 Jun 1950

Answer 15

UNC Command formed
Due to USSR boycott of the UNSC, it missed a chance to VETO and the US was able to gather UN support to push back the North Koreans and return the region to peace and stability (in the mandate, only up to the 38th //)
However, the majority force was led by Macarthur.

Question 16

19 Jul 1950

Answer 16

Truman’s radio and television address to the Americans
Truman believed that:
NK was influenced by USSR to launch the attack
The invasion was a step in Stalin’s master plan to spread communism throughout Asia and ultimately the world
Truman was worried that if SK fell to the communists, Japan and the other Asian countries would be the next in line (Domino effect)
Truman described American involvement in the KW as ESSENTIAL for the success of global containment → justified the militarisation of American policy in east asia

Question 17

15 Sep 1950

Answer 17

Inchon Landing
By UNC troops as an attempt to cut off NK troops from behind and regain control of Seoul
Success, as NK gains evaporated in the following weeks.
Mac Arthur had achieved UN’s original objective to free SK from occupation by NK and back to their original position of the 38th parallel.

Question 18

Oct 1950

Answer 18

Rollback
Shift from containment to the active removal of Communism. (invaded past the 38th parallel, and advanced up to the Yalu River)
Chinese Premier Zhou En Lai stated explicitly that if American forces came near to the Yalu River Border, China would intervene
On 19 Oct , Chinese People’s Volunteer Army (PVA) crossed the Yalu and entered the war.

Question 19

Oct 19 1950

Answer 19

Chinese entry into the Korean War
300000 Chinese soldiers launched a counteroffensive, forcing Macarthur to retreat.

Why did the Chinese intervene?
Security reasons
Warlike posturing by the US (advanced towards the Yalu River that bordered China → security threat)
Ideological reasons
CCP was worried that their communist cause may be threatened if the US drove NK out.
Protecting NK security = Greater ideological legitimacy as well.
Truman ordered the US Seventh Fleet to protect Chiang’s ROC.
Thwarted Chinese ambitions for reclaiming Taiwan → impetus for China to show commitment to supporting the establishment of Communist regimes.
Low threat of Nuclear Retaliation
Presence of Soviet nuclear parity with the US. The US would hence not be readily willing to use its nuclear arsenal against the Chinese even if they entered the war.

Question 20

Apr 1951

Answer 20

Macarthur fired by Truman
Macarthur pushed for the use of nuclear weapons on Chinese troops and was being provocative to China → opposing Truman’s will of having a limited war
Mac Arthur even publicly criticised Truman’s policy → insubordination
Fearing an escalation of the war (+ Soviet nuclear parity), Truman dismissed Macarthur from the job.

Question 21

Jul 1951-Jul 1953

Answer 21

Stalemate
Roadblocks to armistice:
Negotiations for POWs.
US/SK insisted on the principle of no forced repatriation(ALL to be returned to the North) → North Korean POWs were given the choice of whether they wanted to return to the North/stay in SK. (moral superiority of the US and its ideology)
Communists insisted for an all-for-all exchange → Prisoners defecting would be a blow to PRC’s legitimacy and the legitimacy of the Marxist ideology.
Soviet pressure to continue the war

Question 22

Jan 1953

Answer 22

Eisenhower replaces Truman
One of his election promises was to end the KW
Eisenhower persuaded Rhee to accept the armistice
Notified the chinese and North Koreans that the US would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons if they don’t sign the armistice

Question 23

Mar 1953

Answer 23

Death of Stalin
Significance: New leadership in USSR was keen to reach an armistice agreement in order to relieve the strain on its economy
Empowering circumstances allowed a mutual consensus for the war to end.
NK and China agreed on the exchange of POWs with the UN forces in SK

Question 24

Apr 1953

Answer 24

Armistice talks resumed
US, USSR, China and UN were keen to end the war asap and they suffered heavy casualties
However, Kim and Rhee were unwilling to do so as they haven’t achieved reunification yet.

Question 25

27 July 1953

Answer 25

End of the Korean War (armistice signed)