Page 9 of ASIA A5 booklet (The end of the Korean War) Flashcards
What were the 3 gains for the UN?
- Gained respect by taking prompt action.
- Used combined force to stop aggression.
- Achieved joint action - so showed that it wad an effective organisation.
How many casualties did the UN have?
Over 30,000 casualties, mostly American.
Why did the UN upset China and the USSR?
The UN upset China and the USSR by recognising Formosa as the official Chinese government.
What were the 3 gains for the USA?
- Saved South Korea from communism.
- Containment policy was seen to work in Asia.
- Managed to guarantee the long term security of Formosa (Taiwan) which remains a pro-American capitalist democracy to this day
What is SEATO and when was it formed?
In 1954 SEATO was formed (South East Asia Treaty Organisation) which was designed to stop communism in the Far East.
How many people were wounded and died from the USA?
30,000 died and 100,000 wounded soldiers.
How much did defence spending increase in the USA during the war?
Defence spending increased from $12-60 billion. This was 14% of GNP in 1953.
What were the 2 other losses of the USA during the war?
- Failed to free North Korea from Communism.
- America had now committed itself to ensuring that any further spread of communism in SE Asia was stopped. This would prove very costly in Vietnam.
What were 4 gains for China?
- Gained respect of communist supporters in Asia.
- Saved North Korea from American control.
- Had received much financial and military help from the USSR.
- Had secured North Korea as a buffer state on its own borders.
How much of a buffer zone did China gain through helping North Korea?
By supporting the North Korean, China obtained more than 300km of strategic buffer zone from the US which would avoid the military spending necessary to protect its Korean border for the next 50 years.
What were the 4 losses for China?
- Over 900,000 casualties.
- Failed to win South Korea for communism
- Increased US protection and help for Chiang Kai-Shek on Formosa (Taiwan).
- Suffered loss of potential trade with the USA.
- Not allowed to join the UN.
What were the 2 gains for both North and South Korea?
- The long term security of both North and South Korea was protected with the condition that no further warfare would take place in Korea (continues still today).
- Both North and South gained economic benefits by closer links with superpowers.
What did South Korea sign with the USA?
South Korea signed the Mutual Defense Treaty with the USA.
How many casualties did Korea have?
2.5 million - almost equal number from North and South and including many civilians too.
How many Korean civilians died?
1 in 10 Korean civilians died.
How many homes were destroyed in Korea?
600,000 homes were destroyed in Korea.
What happened to the South Koreans who were captured during the war?
Approximately 80,000 South Koreans were captured by the North during the war. After the armistice, about 9,000 of them were released to return to the south. The rest were forced into marriages with war widows and orphans and used as labourers to help build infrastructure projects.
What were the other losses of Korea?
- Industry was destroyed.
- Agriculture ruined.
- Millions of refugees.
- Neither North or South gained the united Korea they had fought for.
What were the 4 gains for the USSR?
- Achieved closer friendship with communist China.
- Damaged China as an emerging rival.
- Conflict between China and the USA was to the USSR’s advantage and strengthened their position as the dominant communist power in Asia.
- Promoted Stalin’s image as a defender of Communism.
What were the 2 losses for the USSR?
- Forced into an expensive arms race with the USA.
- Stalin had been forced to accelerate his arms production which meant amounts of consumer goods declined which led to some areas of Eastern Europe protesting about communist control.
