Topic D6: Crises, Ideology, Conflict and Retreat:
the USA in Asia, 1950-73
Lesson A-1. Introduction US & Asia at the end of
WW2:
1. The basic geography of east Asia
2. The situation at the end of World War II:
•The triumph of the USSR and USA
•The Partition of Korea
1. The basic geography of east Asia
On your outline map identify:
1. Korea
2. China
3. Vietnam
4. Laos
5. Cambodia
6. Japan
7. Malaysia
8. Indonesia
9. The Philippines
10.Taiwan
The Basic geography of east Asia
1. The basic geography of east Asia
On your outline map identify:
1. Korea
2. China
3. Vietnam
4. Laos
5. Cambodia
6. Japan
7. Malaysia
8. Indonesia
9. The Philippines
10.Taiwan
The basic geography of North and South Korea
On your outline map identify:
1. China
2. North Korea/South Korea
3. The Yulu (Yalu) River
4. Pyongyang
5. Mountainous areas
6. Seoul
7. Inchon
8. Pusan
9. Japan
10.38th parallel
The situation at the end of World War II:
The triumph of the USSR and USA
Work in pairs and see how much information you already
know about the end of WW2
1. Identify the two alliances that fought World War
Two; names and four or five main countries.
2. Identify the two main theatres of war.
3. Who was fighting whom in each theatre and why
were they fighting?
The situation at the end of World War II:
The triumph of the USSR and USA
Work in pairs and see how much information you already
know about the end of WW2
4. Who were the ‘Big Three’ who led the Grand
Alliance? (countries and leaders) What do you
think their joint war aims would have been?
5. Briefly describe how the war ended in each
theatre – who would you say won?
The situation at the end of World War II:
The triumph of the USSR and USA
Work in pairs and see how much information you already
know about the end of WW2
6. Write a list of five (or more) ideological beliefs and
policy aims that would define capitalism and
communism
7. Why would there be such strong antagonism
between capitalism and communism?
8. ‘The end of World War Two ushered in an era of
bipolar international relations.’ What does this
statement mean
The basic ideological beliefs and policy aims that define capitalism and communism
Capitalism
Communism
There is no economic equality there are rich people and
there will be some relatively poor people
The aim is economic equality that no-one shall be rich or
poor; everyone is a worker
Individual freedom is important
The interests of collective society is more important than the
Individual.
Economic activity is created and owned by private
individuals known as entrepreneurs.
Everyone competes with each other to be as rich as
possible and own as many things as they can
Competition between individuals leads to progress and
wealth for all.
The profits from private businesses is kept by the owners
who give some back to the workers as wages.
The state is as small as possible and does a limited amount
for the people, it will not aim to house, feed or employ
everyone.
Communism is a ridiculously utopian and morally incorrect
ideology that will lead to the enslavement of individuals by
a huge dictatorial state.
The state is large and owns all economic activity on behalf of
the people.
People work together rather than competing with each other
Individually.
The state aims to look after all of the people to make sure
they have good housing, food and jobs.
The profits from business are spent by the state on behalf of
the people or they are shared equally amongst all the
Workers.
Eventually there will be no private property, no conflict, no
racism no sexism and no war because these are all caused by
inequality and individualism.
Communism arose in the C19th with the specific aim of destroying and
replacing capitalism
A very short history of
Communism
In the late C18th and early C19th a remarkable
economic revolution began in the United
Kingdom.
New attitudes towards business, technology and
innovation created new methods of
industrial manufacture such as steam
powered machines and factory production.
This ‘Industrial Revolution’ spread rapidly across
Europe and America.
Eventually the new era of capitalism would
change the entire world and usher in a new
era in human history marked by incredible
an incredible growth in some peoples’
standard of living and a vast, ever-improving
range of consumer goods.
Along with this economic change a new social
and political order emerged focusing on
democratic ideas of individual rights and
freedoms.
Which all sounds great but …
mm
A very short history of
Communism
As these huge economic changes gathered pace
they were accompanied by huge
demographic changes. For the mass of the
poor working population it did not seem
that the new economic system was
necessarily an improvement.
In the new overcrowded unsanitary cities
millions lived in shockingly poor housing. In
the factories and mines the work was long
dangerous and poorly paid.
In the mid C19th political activists began to
study the new system and to protest against
it.
By far the most important of these people was
Karl Marx. Working in London he undertook
and huge analysis of the workings of
capitalism.
Marx developed a body of ideas which
suggested that capitalism must be
overthrown and replaced by a better, fairer
system called socialism or communism.
These ideas were to have a huge effect in the
history of the C20th. In 1917 a revolution
inspired by Marxist ideas took place in
Russia. The new USSR set about spreading
communism around the world and finishing
off capitalist system
The situation at the end of World War II - The division of Europe
When the fighting stopped on VE Day (8th May 1945)
liberated Europe (the bits where the fascists had either
governed or invaded) was occupied by different Grand
Alliance armies. The Red Army in the eastern countries
and the US/UK’s forces in the west.
There had been talks and plans for what would happen next at a series of wartime
conferences. The overall aims for post-war Europe agreed by the allies were
those of the Atlantic Charter; democracy and national self-determination.
What happened between 1945 and 1949 is that Europe became divided by what
Churchill famously described as an ‘Iron Curtain’.
In the east where the Russians were communist ‘peoples’ democracies ‘emerged.
In the west ‘capitalist democracy’ was the preferred system of government.
The former allies became involved in a bitter disagreement about what was
happening in Europe. Each blamed the other for the bitterness and division that
had replaced the dream of post-fascist freedom and co-operation. War seemed a
possibility.
The situation at the end of World War II – The division of Europe
The situation at the end of World War II:
The Partition of Korea
Read
Stewart Chapter 1.
Explain how and why Europe
divided after WW2.
Read pages 17 & 18
Explain how the ending of the
war against Japan led to a
division in Korea.
The situation at the end of World War II: In the short term, pending the return of
Korean independence, Korea, a
The Partition of Korea become formalised
Japanese colony since 1910, was to be
occupied north of the 38th parallel by
In the North, the Soviets
Soviet Russia. To the south, a United
backed a Stalinist
States military administration under
communist
the direction of General Douglas
government led by
MacArthur would control the area
anti-Japanese guerrilla
from its headquarters in Tokyo.
leader Kim Il-sung
who created the North
Korean Peoples' Army,
equipped with Russian
In the South, after corrupt
tanks and artillery.
elections, the Americans
backed a government led by
Syngman Rhee who was an
oppressive anti-communist.
The American-trained South
Korean army was limited to a
Both Korean leaders
lightly armed gendarmerie,
openly expressed
lacking tanks, combat aircraft
their desire and
and all but a small amount of
intention to refield artillery.
unite the country
as soon as possible.
The situation at the end of World War II:
The Partition of Korea become formalised
What both of the former allies, the USA and the USSR did in
Korea was in many ways obvious and understandable
They put in place of Japanese occupation governments
friendly towards them and their interests. Governments
which reflected the political and economic systems they
knew and favoured.
Why would they do anything else?
Especially after such a long and costly war against bitter
enemy states.
The problem was that the two erstwhile allies were becoming
very paranoid and distrustful of each other’s motives ...
What the USA and USSR did in Korea is remarkably similar
to divisive events in Europe that are regarded as having
started the Cold War.
Homework
Read and take supplementary notes from
Stewart Chapter 1.
The situation at the end of World War II:
The triumph of the USSR and USA
Origins of Cold War before WW2 (Definitions; Capitalists and Communists,
1917 Russian Revolution, USA and USSR 1917-1942)
World War Two (The formation and aims of the Grand Alliance, the Atlantic
Charter 1940))
Yalta Conference February 1945 (Plans for post war Germany, Poland and the
end of the war against Japan)
Between Yalta and Potsdam ( death of Roosevelt, VE, the cost of the war, the
position of the allied armies)
Potsdam Conference July/August 1945 (Poland, leadership changes,
Germany/Berlin and the A Bomb)
End of the war against Japan (Soviet entry, Hiroshima/Nagasaki, post-war
occupation of Japan)
Soviet consolidation in Eastern Europe 1945-49 (Poland, Germany,
Czechoslovakia, Western consolidation in Western Europe Italy and France)
The situation at the end of World War II:
The Partition of Korea
The situation at the end of World War II:
Civil war in China