Korean War

Question 1

How did ambitions of North and South Korean Leaders start KRW?

Answer 1

• After WWII, the Allies had decided (at Potsdam Conference) and agreed to divide Korea into two occupation zones where Soviets occupy North and USA occupy South

North Korea

→ Formed the People’s Democratic Republic (DPKR), under the leadership of KIM IL SUNG.
→ They were greatly supported by the USSR.
→ Kim too wanted to use force to unify Korea. He cultivated ties with the Soviet Union and Communist China to persuade them to
support the rebuilding of North Korea and to help wage war against South Korea. In turn, Stalin agreed to provide heavy military
supplies and economic support.

South Korea

→ Formed the Republic of Korea under the leadership of SYNGMAN RHEE.
→ They were greatly supported by the USA.
→ Rhee was willing to use force to unify Korea if necessary. Despite Rhee’s aggressive policies (which the US did not agree entirely), the USA continued to provide economic and minimal military aid to South Korea
* With Kim’s government established and its forces well-trained and equipped, the Soviet began to withdraw it forces and advisers in late-1948
* Similarly, the USA made their final withdrawal of its American forces in June 1949(withdrawal took place before the Soviet explosion of atomic bomb and communist victory in China)
* Both agreed to unify Korea under a provisional government but no agreement was reached on how to unite Korea and administer it. Kim and Rhee could not accept terms of unification as both wanted to unify their country under their own sphere of influence and leadership

Question 2

How did tensions of Cold War start the KRW?

Answer 2

The USA on Korea
* Initially Korea was not of any strategic importance to the USA and the Western bloc
* US changed its attitudes following the external developments in USSR and China
→ Soviet explosion of the Atomic Bomb
→ Communist Victory in Chinese Civil War
→ Sino-Soviet Agreement, 1950
* Changed their involvement in Korea and to do more to prevent the spread of communism
* With the agreement made during the Sino-Soviet treaty in February 1950, Truman and Dean Acheson (Secretary of State) were criticised for the ‘loss’ of China to communism as it signaled a tip in the balance of power in the Cold War
* Thus the USA set out the 4NSC-68 which stressed the need for a drastic US military increase to contain global communism which influenced the Containment policies.

The USSR on Korea
* The communist bloc sought to expand its global influence, particularly in Asia
* Korea was significant to the communist bloc due to its close proximity to the Soviet Union, China (the only Asian Ally that Soviets had) and other countries in the Asia-Pacific
* Incorporation of Korea will provide the communists with a platform to spread their ideology to the countries in the Asia-Pacific
* Korea could act as a counterbalance to US influence in Japan. When Russia agreed to enter the war, one of their aims was to get a foothold in Japan, but this was not possible when the US established a strong military base in Japan after the war. Hence, USSR wanted an equivalent in terms of a military base, and thought perhaps Korea would fit the bill.
* Stalin had reasons to believe that the US would not react to the invasion due to the US policy which did not put Korea in its defense
perimetres, pointing in the direction that Korea was of low priority in the US agenda

Question 3

What was the strong rivalry between Kim Il Sung and Syngman Rhee?

Answer 3

• It is said that as soon as the two states were established, large-scale guerilla activity was launched in an attempt to destabilise the south and to destroy the regime.
• Quite a while before the outbreak of war, there had already been cross border raids in both directions, from North to South and South to North, and both leaders did not object to it.

Question 4

What were some Cold War politics involved in KWR?

Answer 4

• This view was widely accepted due to hysteria prompted by McCarthyism, which supposed that N. Koreans could not conceivably have the started, the war without consulting Stalin. The Soviet Union has clearly and consciously risked a world war. In other words, the Soviets were once again trying to extend their empire.
• The Soviets push for influence in Western Europe had run up against its limits, what with the success of the Marshall Plan, the failure of the Berlin Blockade, the formation of an independent Western Germany and the organisation of NATO.
• Since he was not making headway in W. Europe, Stalin turned to Asia. Stalin saw the conflict in Korean an opportunity for him to expand his ideology in the east.
• Truman believed that this invasion was a step in Stalin’s master plan to spread communism throughout Asia, and ultimately the world.(Domino Effect).
• As such Truman saw the US involvement in Korea as legitimate and essential for the success of global containment. This further justified militarisation of US policy in East Asia.