Containment’s First Failure
THE CHINESE CIVIL WAR
DURING WWII

Chinese Communists
 Led
by Mao Zedong in North China
 Fighting Nationalists since 1927
 Temporary truce in 1937
 Received aid from Soviets

Chinese Nationalists
 Led
by Chiang Kai-Shek in South China
 $3 billion in aid from U.S. during war
 Kai-Shek admired by Americans during war
MAO ZEDONG
Experienced Army
 Resumed war against
Nationalists after WWII
 Supported by peasants
(95% of population

 Distributed
land &
reduced rents
CHIANG KAI-SHEK
Leader of Chinese
Nationalists starting
1926
 Socially conservative
 Harsh political and
economic policies

 Gov’t
wasteful/Corrupt
 Lost support of people
FIGHTING RESUMES
After Japanese defeated cooperation ends
 From 1944-47 U.S. tries to negotiate peace

 Supports
nationalists despite problems
 No soldiers provide ~$2Billion in aid

Aid not enough


Weak military leadership corrupt practices drive
peasants to Communists
1949 Nationalists flee to Taiwan - Communists
take over
U.S. RESPONSE
Public stunned –
containment failed
 Blamed Truman

 Truman:
failure due to
internal problems

Critics reject – claim U.S.
infiltrated by Communists
 Beginning
of the Red-scare
Containment’s Second Challenge
THE KOREAN WAR
U.S. & KOREA
Japan – control since
1910
 Post-WWII

 North
– Soviets
 South – U.S.

1948-49
 S.
Independent
 N. Communist
A DIVIDED KOREA
Korea split at 38th
parallel
 Splits resources

 Industry
North
 Agriculture South
Not intended as
permanent border
 1949 U.S./U.S.S.R.
leave

NORTH KOREA

The Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea




Communist state Headed by
Kim il Sung (1948-94)
Capital in Pyongyang
Military and Industrial focus
Backed by U.S.S.R.
A NATION DIVIDED
SOUTH KOREA

The Republic of Korea




Presidential Democracy led by
Syngman Rhee (1948-60)
Capital in Seoul
Economic focus
Backed by U.S.
NORTH INVADES SOUTH
June 1950 N. Korea invades across 38th
parallel to unify Korea
 Truman – Naval/Air Support
 U.N. resolution to support S. Korea

 Soviet’s
Boycotting U.N. at time
 Send
520,000 troops (90% American)
 Support for 590,000 S.K. troops

Led By U.S. General Douglas MacArthur
SEESAW
WAR
SEE-SAW WAR
North conquered
Seoul (S. capital)
 Mac-counterattack
 U.N. cross 38th &
reunite Korea (Nov.
1950)
 China opposed –
sent troops to block

SEE-SAW WAR AND STALEMATE

Chinese forces
drove U.N. back


2 Years – fighting
continued


Recaptured Seoul
Stalemate: neither
side advanced
MacArthur: Extend
war into China?
MACARHTUR
Mac v. Truman
 Mac – rally
support from
press/
Republicans
 Truman wanted
limited war

 Fired
Mac for
insubordination
CONFLICT ENDS
Cease-fire June 1951
 Demilitarized zone @
38th Parallel
 Armistice July 1953
 Results:

 Communism
Contained?
 54,000 dead Am’s
 Republicans elect
Eisenhower 1952
 Paranoia high in U.S.
NEWSREEL

Newsreel announcing US and UN resolution to
take action in Korea

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?
storyId=128092817