The Cold War in Asia

The Cold War in Asia 1945-1952

Aims of the U.S. in Asia • Restore peace • Help Asian people resist foreign rule • Restore Asian trade with the rest of the world • Especially committed to Philippines, Japan, and China • Allows the Philippines its independence in 1946

Occupation of Japan • Disarm Japan and punish militarists • Reeducate the Japanese and help them form a democratic government • American troops, under the command of Douglas MacArthur, would occupy Japan to enforce this • Emperor remained as symbol of unity • Japanese culture was left intact • A strong capitalist economy was established

Communist Triumph in China • After Japan’s surrender, China is divided • Communists and Mao Zedong control the north • Nationalists and Chiang Kai-shek held the southwest, eventually the center

Civil War in China • Civil war began in the 1930’s between the communists and the nationalists • Mao’s communist forces grew strong during WWII • Civil war flared up again after WWII • Marshall: End aid to China; Western Europe is more important to help • China could not be saved from communism: Communists take over mainland China 1949 • Nationalists flee to Taiwan

Aftermath of Communist Victory • Truman believed that U.S. public would not support military intervention to save China from communism • The U.S. recognized Taiwan as the true China and blocked attempts of Mao’s China to get a U.N. seat

War in Korea • After the Japanese surrender in WWII, the USSR occupied Korea north of the 38th parallel and set up a communist government • South Korea recognized as true gov’t; U.S. withdrew troops because Korea was outside it defense perimeter • 1950: North Korean troops invade South Korea to spread ccommunism

Police Action • Did USSR or China help? • U.N. Security Council orders North Koreans to withdraw and authorizes U.N. members to aid South Korea

MacArthur in Korea • Instructed to limit fighting to below the 38th parallel • North Koreans are pushed back north; MacArthur was given the OK by the U.N. to liberate the North and reunite Korea • China’s troops come to N.Korea’s aid, pushing U.N. forces back south

Truman Fires MacArthur • MacArthur wanted the U.S. to bomb China; Truman doesn’t want to risk war • A letter is released in which MacArthur criticizes Truman • Truman is commander-in-chief (civilian): Should he control the military? • Truman fires MacArthur • Korean War ends in stalemate; cease fire declared in 1953 and the country remained divided

Fear of Communists Aftermath of the Korean Action

Spies Everywhere? • After the USSR develops the A-bomb, Americans fear there are communists among them • The loss of China and North Korea to communism worsens these fears • Some government officials, entertainers, and college professors were labeled as communists, ruining lives

McCarthyism • Senator Joseph McCarthy led these “witch hunts”; all of his accusations were later proven false • McCarthyism: the use of indiscriminate and unfounded political accusations to destroy the character of one’s opponent

The Cold War in Asia