The Cold War: Korean War

1. The Cold War: Korean War

2. NSC-68: “Roll-Back” frontiers of Communism • National Security Council Paper Number 68 = more aggressive policy than containment • Recommended(1950) that the U.S. should increase its defense spending 4x; free countries from communism using force • The results were: • 3.5 million people in the military and $50 billion a year on defense • Aid would be given to any country perceived to be resisting Communism ex. South Korea • A sense of almost limitless money for arms

3. Korean War Background • Japan occupied Korea until the end of WWII • After the war, the U.S. would occupy the south, while the Soviets would occupy the north • It was to be temporarily divided at the 38th parallel, but would eventually have its own government and independence

4. Korean War Background • At the Cold War developed, the U.S. and USSR became less willing to cooperate • The Americans persuaded the UN to establish a commission to supervise Korean elections, but they were refused entry into the North • Therefore, two separate governments were set up

5. Causes of the Korean War (June 1950) • Kim Sung, the leader of North Korea, didn’t expect the U.S. to support the South, as Secretary of State Dean Acheson made a speech about the U.S.’s defense perimeter in the Western Pacific, which did not include Korea • Sung persuaded Stalin that he should back an attack on the South…or did he act alone? • In June 1950, North Korea attacked South Korea

6. Why Did the U.S. Intervene? • It became an ideological dispute – containment of communism • The fears of communism (McCarthyism) leads to the U.S. to intervene • Sino-Soviet Pact signed in 1950 increased fears of USSR’s dominance in Asia • Republicans blamed the Democrats and the Truman administration for “losing” China to communism in 1949 • The administration believed that firm action was needed to prevent the spread of communism

7. Why Did the Soviets and China Support the North Koreans? • Soviets: • Strengthen communism in Asia • Kim might have turned to Mao if the Soviets didn’t help • Communists had won the Chinese Civil War • Soviets had the atomic bomb • Were concerned about Japan being anti-communist • China: • It was a way of paying Kim back for support in the Chinese Civil War • Mao wanted to be the international communist leader

8. Korean War • Douglas MacArthur was called upon to lead UN troops in Korea. He was in charge of the occupation of South Korea and Japan • Before UN troops arrived, the North Koreans, supplied with Soviet tanks and air power, had swept through South Korea in just weeks. Only a small part of the country, near the port city of Pusan, remained

9. Korean War • United Nation’s Reaction To Korea • The Soviets temporarily left the UN Security Council • In June 1950, they unanimously condemned North Korea as the aggressor. The Soviets weren’t there to veto the vote • The Council called upon all UN members to help restore peace. Two days later, without consulting Congress, Truman ordered American air and naval units to support South Korea

10. Korean War • He also ordered General Douglas MacArthur’s Japanese based occupation troops into action against the North Koreans • Officially, the U.S. was participating in a UN “police action.” But in fact, the U.S. made up the overwhelming bulk of the UN force, and General MacArthur, appointed UN commander of the entire operation, took his orders from Washington, not from the Security Council

11. Korean War (September 1950) • MacArthur suspected that the North Korean’s supply line was stretched thin. Therefore, he decided to land troops at Inchon, near the 38th parallel and attack enemy supply lines from behind • The strategy worked, causing the North Koreans to withdraw to near the Yalu River • MacArthur didn’t want the North Koreans regrouping and coming again

12. Korean War (November 1950) • At this point, the Chinese, who were Communist, told the UN to not advance any farther. However, MacArthur didn’t listen • He didn’t believe that Chinese intervention would be effective • Thousands of Chinese troops pushed the U.N. forces back across 38th parallel

13. Korean War • Humiliated, MacArthur wanted: • The old Chinese government, which had taken refuge in Taiwan, to go back to China and create a second front • He also wanted to use nuclear bombs on China if they got involved • A blockade of the Chinese coast • Bombardment of Chinese bases in Manchuria

14. Korean War • Washington’s Reaction • Didn’t want to enlarge the war. Europe and USSR are priority #1 • MacArthur wrote Congress, criticizing the President • Truman fired him. He feared that the war would escalate and possibly draw in the Soviets • MacArthur was deemed a hero by many, while Truman was considered an idiot • Matthew Ridgway replaced MacArthur

15. Korean War • After two more years, a truce was signed in 1953 • It left Korea in about the same state it was in before the war • Deaths/Wounded: • Americans – 55,000; 113,000 • South Korea – 415,004; 428,568 • North Korea/Communist China – 2,000,000 casualties

16. Effects of the Korean War on Korea • No hope for unification • Koreans were forcibly conscripted • Couldn’t tell who the enemy was, so many innocent civilians were killed • Crimes against POWs were committed • Korean borders were left in about the same state as it was in before the war, although both sides were devastated by the war • South Korean deaths – 415,000 • North Korean deaths – 520,000

17. Effects of the Korean War on China • The war strengthened alliances in the West, but alienated the Chinese and Soviets • China held their own against UN/US forces, so they gained prestige • As a result of the Korean War, Truman recognized only Taiwan as the real China and protected it with navy • China obtained loans and technical assistance from the Soviets • China upset with the Soviets because they sold them military equipment at high prices

18. Effects of the Korean War on the U.S. • First instance of fighting in the Cold War • Nuclear war nearly occurred • American deaths – 55,000

19. Effects of the Korean War on the U.S. • Showed the need to intervene in the Far East (increased aid to French in Indochina) • Caused a nervous public to view China and USSR as a combined communist force intent on world domination • Created three pacts with nations in the region: • U.S.-Philippines • U.S.-Japan • ANZUS – Australia, New Zealand, U.S.

20. Effects of the Korean War on the Soviet Union • Not only did China become upset at the lack of assistance from the Soviet Union, but it deepened the divisions in the Cold War • The Soviet Union now was involved in an even more intense and broader Cold War standoff than prior to 1950 • Made BOTH superpowers (U.S. and Soviet Union) realize they needed to prepare for conflict!