KOREA
THE COLD WAR BEYOND EUROPE
THE KOREAN WAR 1950 –1953
What was the situation in Korea after the Second World War?
􀂾 America’s policy was to contain Communism (to stop it spreading). In 1949,
China became Communist and it seemed like containment had failed in Asia.
􀂾 Korea (China’s neighbor) used to be ruled by Japan, but at the end of World
War II, it was divided between the USA and the USSR along the 38th parallel
until a government could be elected to run the whole country.
􀂾 In August 1948, the Americans set up the Republic of Korea in the south,
with Syngman Rhee as the first president. A month later, the Russians set up the
Korean People’s Democratic Republic in the north, ruled by Kim Sung II, a
Red Army captain. Each man claimed to represent the whole country.
Why did America get involved in the Korean War?
China had become Communist in 1949 and this really worried the Americans.
They were worried that Communism was spreading throughout the world, the
existence of poverty and hardship seemed to confirm this.
The USA was keen that the rest of the Far East and South East Asia would not fall
to the Communists as well. E.g. (countries like Malaya, Indonesia, Burma and
Vietnam) Remember the Domino Theory.
Technically American troops weren’t fighting the Korean War. The United
Nations sent troops from its member states to ‘keep peace’. As America was the
most important and richest country in the U.N. it sent the most troops and
supplied most of the weapons.
In reality America dominated the U.N. and influenced its allies into supporting
what it was doing in Korea.
THE KOREAN WAR
A grief stricken American infantryman whose buddy has been
killed in action is comforted by another soldier. In the background a
corpsman methodically fills out casualty tags, Haktong-ni area,
Korea. August 28, 1950. Sfc. Al Chang. (Army)
MAPS
• 1945 – Korea controlled by Japan
• Soviets occupied the NORTH, America the SOUTH
•The two halves were divided by the 38th Parallel
•1947 – elections held in the South supported by the
US; The North had its own govt. backed by the
Soviets
• Each government claimed to be the rightful rulers of
Korea
• Each side was supported by the respective
superpower even though they withdrew troops in
1948.
•1949 – China became Communist – supported N Korea
• 1950 – N Korea invaded S Korea
• Sept 1950 – UN troops into S Korea at INCHON
• N Koreans pushed back into N Korea
• Oct 1950 Chinese invaded N Korea
• UN troops pushed back to S Korea
• 1950-51 – STALEMATE around 38th Parallel
• April 1951 – MacArthur removed from position – replaced
by General Omar Bradley
• Fighting continued until 1952
•1952 – Truman replaced by Eisenhower
• 1953 – Stalin died
• July 1953 - Armistice signed
The Key Players
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•
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•
•
Truman
Syngman Rhee – SK
UN
MacArthur
Bradley
• Kim Sung II - NK
• Mao Tse Tung
• Stalin
WHO WON????
•
•
•
•
•
•
S. KOREA REMAINED ‘FREE’
Containment had worked
Korea badly damaged
The human cost
Still two separate states today
Still US troops in Korea
THE COST IN HUMAN LIFE
Casualties in the Korean War
4,500
30,000
NK & Chinese soldiers
and civilians
70,000
SK civilians
500,000
SK soldiers
780,000
USA soldiers
Other UN soldiers
By 1950 had Containment worked???
• Most Americans agreed with containing
communism
• Some wanted a more aggressive policy
like MacArthur
• More alliances were set up that were
anti-Communist
What were the Lessons of the Korean War?
The USA learned that there were risks associated with the policy of containment.
Over one million people died in the war and what started out as confrontation
with North Korea quickly got out of hand when China, the country with the
worlds largest army, became involved.
America underestimated the Chinese. American troops ignored Chinese warnings
and got too close to the Chinese boarder. In October 1950 200,000 Chinese troops
joined the North Koreans.
These troops had been taught to hate the Americans and were prepared to die for
Communism.
They also had modern weapons supplied by the USSR.
If America wanted to confront Communism she had to be careful. The American
General in charge in Korea, Douglas MacArthur, was sacked by President
Truman because he not only wanted to free South Korea but he wanted to
remove the communists from North Korea and then carry the war on into China!
He even asked for permission to use nuclear weapons, which was refused as this
could easily have sparked a world war.
Even though America was by far the most powerful country in the world there
were limits to its power.
Containment was a policy that had its limitations. It was one thing to
try and contain the spread of communism but when America attempted to go
further and expel the Communists out of North Korea it was simply not
prepared for the escalation that followed.