The Widening Of The Cold War (2) Flashcards

1
Q

What was the country in Asia that became important in the Cold War after it was not included in the Defensive Perimeter Strategy?

A

Korea

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What was the situation in Korea pre-WWII?

A

Korea annexed by Japan (Since 1910)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Who were Korea forced to fight for in WWII?

A

Japan

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What decision was made about the future of Korea during the WII conferences?

A

Cairo Conference (Nov 1943) (Britain, US + Chiang Kai-Sheck)

  • Korea should be free + independent (from Japan)
  • Country will become a trusteeship
  • Stalin agreed to this in 1945
Potsdam Conference (Aug 1945) (Britain, US, Soviets) 
- US proposed (+ Stalin agreed) to supervise the future of Korea through 2 zones of occupation (Soviets in N, US in S) until elections for its unification (that never happened!)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What did the Korean trusteeship involve?

A

Supervision by international powers (USA, Soviets, Britain, KMT) until Korea stable enough to control own future

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What happened to the leadership in Korea post-WWII?

A

North:

  • USSR occupational zone
  • Worked with local elected leader Kim Il Sung

South:

  • USA occupational zone
  • Worked with local elected leader Syngman Rhee
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What state did North Korea become? When?

A

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) (Sept 1948)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What state did South Korea become? When?

A

Republic of Korea (ROK) (Aug 1948)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Who was Kim Il Sung?

A
  • Strong communist
  • Leader of the DPRK (North Korea)
  • Military background, fighting the Japanese
  • Spent time in USSR, being groomed as potential post-WWII Korean leader
  • Regarded as less of a puppet of foreign powers
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Who was Syngman Rhee?

A
  • Strong nationalist + anti-communist
  • Leader of the ROK (South Korea)
  • Spent 40 yrs in USA, so had strong support from US figures
  • Often regarded as a puppet of the USA, BUT this wasn’t entirely true
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Give evidence of an event to show that Syngman Rhee wasn’t entirely a puppet of the USA

A

Bodo League Massacre (Summer 1950)

  • 300,000 suspected Korean communists executed without trial
  • Rhee’s idea
  • Labelled by MacArthur as an “internal matter”
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What were the internal causes of the Korean War?

A

Conflicting goals of the two Korean zone leaders
KIM IL SUNG
- Aim: to unite Korea under a communist regime
- Gained external support + physically attacked to start conflict

SYNGMAN RHEE
- Aim: to unite Korea under a capitalist regime

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How did Kim Il Sung get external support for his invasion of South Korea?

A

Sought support from Soviets:

  • March 1949: Soviets gave advice to use guerrilla warfare
  • May 1950: Soviets pledged them weapons

Sought support from PRC:
- April 1950: initially seemed unwilling to physically support, but did (Oct 1950)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Why did Kim Il Sung think that a physical attack on S Korea would successfully achieve his goal of uniting country under communism?

A

Thought he would have a rapid, decisive victory

  • 200,000 communist supporters in South (to help)
  • Well-organised guerrilla force in South (to help)
  • USA wouldn’t have time to intervene
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What was the trigger cause of the Korean War?

A

Kim Il Sung’s DPRK forces invading South on 25th June 1950

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What were the external causes of the Korean War?

A

External powers fuelling the build up of tensions on the peninsula (by backing the diff regimes/ideologies) + then fuelling the war
STALIN/USSR
- Fuelled building tensions: wanted a united, communist Korea
- Fuelled war: advised Kim to strike + supplied weapons
MAO/CHINA
- Fuelled building tensions: PRC just became communist (implicit support)
- Fuelled war: provided soldiers to DPRK
TRUMAN/USA
- Fuelled building tensions: divided Korea, wanted a united, capitalist Korea
- Fuelled war: supplied soldiers to ROK + encouraged UN to do same
UN
- Fuelled war: acted as legitimisation for US + allies to supply soldiers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What was Stalin’s aim in Korea? Why?

A
  • To support a communist (DPRK) victory (by supplying weapons), in order to gain Korea as an ally (+preventing its alliance with China)
  • To make this support subdued (rather than all in providing men etc) to avoid conflict with US (that could be nuclear)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How many weapons did the USSR supply to DPRK?

A
  • 1600 pieces of artillery
  • 178 military aircraft
  • 258 T-34 tanks
19
Q

What was Mao’s aim in Korea? How did this change over time? Why?

A

Originally:
- To not be involved in conflict, wanted to strengthen PRC internally after recent victory
After Oct 1950:
- To support a communist victory (by supplying soldiers), to remove the US’ threat in Asia (currently advancing on China through Korea + had 7th fleet stationed in Straits of Taiwan to support Mao’s opponent)

20
Q

Why did China think that it was safe from US nuclear attack, therefore enabling Chinese to act as soldiers?

A

Said they were too close to USSR to be threatened by nuclear weapons

21
Q

What was Truman’s aim in Korea? Why?

A
  • To support a capitalist (ROK) victory (by supplying soldiers), to protect Korea from turning communist and having a domino effect upon Asia
  • To make this support subdued (by supplying soldiers under the UN) to avoid conflict with USSR (that could be nuclear)
22
Q

Why were the UN entitled to provide troops to defend the ROK?

A

The UN supported freedom and self-determination of all states, and Kim Il Sung was attempting to usurp South Korea

23
Q

How did the US manage to persuade the UN to intervene in Korea and support the ROK?

A

USSR were boycotting the UN, so were unable to veto

  • Because were protesting that UN failed to recognise Mao as holder of China’s seat
  • Gromyko (Soviet politician) said they were deliberately boycotting + not vetoing, to draw US into a draining overseas war
24
Q

What type of war was the Korean War for the superpowers?

A

Proxy war

25
Q

How many stages were there of the Korean War? When were they? Give a summary title for each

A

4 stages…

1) Offensive (June 1950-Sept 1950)
2) Counter-offensive (Sept 1950-Nov 1950)
3) Stabilisation (Dec 1950-May 1951)
4) Stalemate + armistice (June 1951-July 1951)

26
Q

Outline phase 1 of the Korean War

A

Offensive (June 1950-Sept 1950)

  • 25th June: DPRK forces (with Soviet weapons) advance into S
  • Early August: DPRK had conquered 90% Korea up to Pusan Perimeter
  • US requested UN Security Council, in which 29 states committed military, economic or medical assistance
27
Q

Outline phase 2 of the Korean War

A

Counter-offensive (Sept 1950-Nov 1950)

  • Early Sept: UN + US forces break through Pusan Perimeter
  • 9th Sept: MacArthur’s forces land at Inchon, recapturing Seoul
  • UN forced DPRK back over 38th parallel, capture Pyongyang
  • 18th Oct: Mao sent 300,000 troops across Yalu River into N.Korea
28
Q

What is the capital of North Korea?

A

Pyongyang

29
Q

What is the capital of South Korea?

A

Seoul

30
Q

Outline phase 3 of Korean War

A

Stabilisation (Dec 1950-June 1951)

  • 5th Dec: India’s Ceasefire Proposal given to UN/US + PRC
  • PRC increased offensive, pushed over parallel, to show rejection of ceasefire
  • April: MacArthur dismissed by Truman
31
Q

What was India’s Ceasefire Proposal?

A

India’s Ceasefire Proposal (5th Dec 1950)

  • Proposal given by India + 12 other non-W.states to PRC + UN
  • Hoped for ceasefire in Korea
  • UN/US accepted
  • PRC rejected
32
Q

Why was MacArthur dismissed by Truman?

A

For being too aggressive against communism, including threats to use nuclear weapons + air strikes against the PRC during Korean War

33
Q

Outline phase 4 of Korean War

A

Stalemate + armistice (June 1951-July 1953)

  • No major offensives, with stalemate around 38th parallel
  • Long process of peace talks
  • 27th July 1953: Panmunjom Armistice Agreement
34
Q

Why did the peace talks take so long in the Korean War?

A
  • Some leaders were difficult to cooperate with (e.g. Rhee + Stalin)
  • Disagreements over prisoners of war
35
Q

What happened in March 1953, enabling the USSR to be more open to negotiations for a Korean armistice?

A

Stalin died

36
Q

What were the terms of the Panmunjom Armistice Agreement?

A
  • Military demarcation line at 38th parallel, surrounded by 2km demilitarised zone either side
  • Withdrawal of all military to respective territories
  • Repatriation of prisoners of war
37
Q

Was there a ‘winner’ of the Korean War? Why?

A

No

  • Internal conditions in Korea returned to pre-war status
  • External powers had been unsuccessful (lost men + weapons but neither side had emerged successful)
38
Q

What were the impacts of the Korean War in Korea?

A

Positive:
- Security against attack from other half
Negative:
- Restored to post-war conditions, no gains (DPRK in N, ROK in S)
- 2.5 million civilians dead
- Uneasy stability but no peace or unification (remains today)

39
Q

What were the impacts of the Korean War on the USA?

A

Positive:
- Able to contain communism in North Korea
- UN + US had cooperated well
Negative:
- Strengthened view that communism was global threat
- Commitment to containment demonstrated, detrimental later (Vietnam)

40
Q

What were the impacts of the Korean War on the USSR?

A

Positive:
- Strengthened alliance with PRC in short term
Negative:
- Placed them under economic pressure, so they accelerated industrialisation and communist methods such as reduced consumer goods in E.Europe (which caused opposition + rebellion)
- Began resentment for PRC in long term, as seen as threat, which would weaken alliance

41
Q

What was the impact of the Korean War on the PRC?

A

Positive:
- Seen as victory (prevented capitalist states conquered N.Korea + moving up to conquer China and enhanced public dislike of the capitalists), which Mao took advantage of, using opportunity to push for communist social + economic reforms - leaving strong communist state
Negative:
- Lost Taiwan (US now committed to protecting it to stop more communism)
- Lost most non-Korean men (approx 600,000) BUT collectivist

42
Q

Which external power may be seen as benefiting the most from the Korean War?

A

Seen as victory (prevented capitalist states conquered N.Korea + moving up to conquer China and enhanced public dislike of the capitalists), which Mao took advantage of, using opportunity to push for communist social + economic reforms - leaving strong communist state

43
Q

What was the impact of the Korean War on W.Europe?

A

Positive:

  • NATO strengthened
  • W.Germany rearmed
44
Q

What tactic was used by the Chinese in the Korean War?

A

Human wave tactic