Korean War Flashcards
What was the emphasis of US foreign policy during the Cold War?
On ‘containment’. Dwight Eisenhower in 1953 with his ideas of ‘rolling back’ communism and setting the world free
What important context does China provide leading up to the Korean War?
US saw several great perils, particularly with Mao’s victory in China against US backed Chiang Kai shek - ousted by communist forces - set up his people in Taiwan. Mao signed trade and mutual assistance treaty with Soviet Union - looked like the Red part of the world was unstoppable
Thought that if the Reds controlled the Eurasian territories - monolithic communism
What did the US fail to realise regarding China, Russia and communism?
There were deep divisions between Chinese communism and Russian communism - Stalin and Mao distrusted each other completely - gave China no help against Chiang Kai shek for example
What happened in 1949? What made this so significant?
Soviets tested their first atomic bomb - ended US’s nuclear monopoly – accentuated time of the great fear - people felt that they only got the bomb because of spying, great anxiety. Was there a new world/era after this year?
What was there after Hiroshima?
Fear of atomic warfare and a grim determination to maintain US nuclear supremacy
What was NSC-68 and why was it so important?
A document by the National Security Council that set out agenda for 1950s and beyond - pictured cold war as a continuous global war struggle - total war. recommended massive increases in military spending to build up America’s conventional and nuclear arsenal and to rearm NATO. The document offered few hints for constructive steps that the US might take to reduce hostilities
What did NSC-68 fail to acknowledge?
It looked little into weaknesses and divisions - didn’t look at making peace with the communists
Didn’t acknowledge world trends that didn’t fit into the US vs SU scenario - British empire and French empire collapsing, leaving vacuums
US and Russia wanted to fill the vacuums
What important background context is there regarding Korea?
Japan had conquered Korea in 1910, WW2 - both Americans and Soviets assumed responsibility for the surrendering of Japanese forces on the Korean peninsula
Most industry in the north, most agriculture in the south
Why did Stalin approve Kim Il Sung’s invasion plans?
Based on plans and statements from Washington seemingly excluding South Korea, seen as a green light?
What does William Stueck argue?
The war was certainly North Korea’s responsibility - bore responsibility for starting the war but Americans (particularly MacArthur) gung-ho attitude made the responsibility theirs - escalated to almost armageddon
What were the Americans afraid of?
The Domino Theory - the idea that if one country fell to communism, the rest would follow
What did the US fear when the Soviets invaded Korea in 1945? How did they respond?
That they wanted to take over entire peninsula and they therefore moved troops so South Korea accordingly
What did the US and SU do regarding the future of Korea?
Both US and SU avoid determining long-term solution regarding future of Korea - agreement to divide along 38th Parallel - longitudinal line that bissected the country
How did Truman go about starting the war and what is this indicative of?
Truman didn’t go to Congress for a formal declaration of war - officially it was no more than ‘police action’ - in itself indicative of US self-perceived role in the world
What did China think the US was doing once they began their resurgent push towards the north of Korea?
That they were trying to set up a forward military landing base, which could suggest an attack on China and sent an army in response
