Why did China join the Korean war Flashcards
Theories as to why Mao joined the war
Why was it strange the China joined the war?
What was the USA’s theory for Chinas intervention?
What was Jung Chang’s theory?
In June 1950 China couldnt afford war and were recovering from WW2 and civil war they needed to establish the regime. Despite this Mao entered the war.
USA’s theory (1950) believed it was to consolidate communist world domination under stalins orders
Jung Chang (2008) believed Mao used tthe war to persuade Stalin to provide technology and industrial equipment
End of WW2
How was Korea divided after WW2?
What ideologies were either side?
Korea was divided along the 38th parallel with the North being communist and the south being capitalist. (North allied to USSR south allied to USA)
North Korea attacks south Korea
Who led NK to attack SK?
Why?
When?
On June 25th 1950 North Korea led by Kim Il Sung luanched an attack on South Korea in an atempt to unify Korea under communism
The USA intervention
How did the UN/US respond to NK?
Who led the effort?
The USA and UN (which includes the forces of 16 nations) launched military action to defend South Korea. This US/UN force was led by general MacArthur
Intitial NK success
Where did NK forces push UN/US forces?
Where they successfull?
At first the North Korea attack was a success and US/UN/SK forces were pushed into a small area around Pusan
US counter to NK
When did UN/USA forces luanch an attack?
Where did they luanch this attack?
What did they do next?
September 1950 UN/US/SK forces luanched an attack on Ichon which was behind enemy lines and they began to push NK behind the 38th parallel
Risk to China
What did UN/US forces continue to do?
Where did they push NK forces to?
Why was this a problem?
Despite the NK army being pushed behind the 38th parallel the US/UK/SK army continued pushing right up to Yalu river along the border with China
MacArthur’s aims
Where did MacArthur want to liberate from communism?
What weapons did he want to use to achieve this?
What did Truman do?
MacArhur wanted to keep pushing forces into China and use nuclear weapons to liberate China fromm communism. Truman removed him from his command
Chinese intervention
When did China enter the war?
What did this mean for UN/US
By March 1951 what had China acmplished?
At the end of October 1950 China entered the war preventing US/UN/SK from advancing. By march 1951 Chineese/NK forces had pushed US/UN/SK forces back to the 38th parallel
