Korea Flashcards
1945
Korean peninsula split along the 38th Parallel
3 April 1948 - May 1949
Jeju Island Uprising
Subversive actions by the North in the South to increase support.
May 1948
Elections by the USA in SK
Aug 1948
ROK declared
Sept 1948
Elections in NK, DPRK established
Dec 1948
USSR withdrawal from DPRK
June 1949
US withdrawal from SK, leaving 500 personnel
Aug 1949
Successful Soviet nuclear test
Soviets gain nuclear parity with the US.
Oct 1949
CCP wins Chinese Civil War
Created a more favourable international climate for the Soviet Union
Jan 1950
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
Feb 1950
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
Apr 1950
Stalin agreed to help Kim
Only indirect support (advisers to train NKPA, provided military equipments)
Apr 1950
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
25 Jun 1950
Start of the Korean War
NK invades SK.
UNSC demanded that NK cease its invasion
27 Jun 1950
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.
19 Jul 1950
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
15 Sep 1950
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.
Oct 1950
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.
Oct 19 1950
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.
Apr 1951
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.
Jul 1951-Jul 1953
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
Jan 1953
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
Mar 1953
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
Apr 1953
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.
27 July 1953
End of the Korean War (armistice signed)
