Build-up to the Korean War- Cold War Build-up
Understanding the underlying causes of instability:
Underlying Causes of the
USA Involvement in the Korean War:
I. Soviet Expansion in Europe:
By 1945- USSR Controlled the Baltic Nations: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
1945- Communists took power in Albania, Bulgaria, East Germany
1946- George Kennan writes the “Long Telegram” – Marking the beginning of Containment
Appeared in Foreign Policy under the title “Sources of Soviet Conduct”- Written by Mr. X
To some extent Containment was misinterpreted by policy makers and Truman: Kennan himself admits that he was misinterpreted and that he did not intend to suggest the need for “containment by military means of a military threat, but the political containment of a political threat.” His vagueness in language, he said, was ambiguous at best and lent itself to misinterpretation (Kennan, Memoirs v.1, p. 358-359). Often cited by Post-Revisionists to suggest that the Soviet Union’s sense of security was not considered enough.
1946 Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech in Fulton, Missouri *Map Source[1]
1947 USA- Announcement of the Truman Doctrine (Containment)
USSR- Creation of the Cominform (Communist Information Bureau)
Communist control of Romania, Poland, Hungary
1948 - USSR Expands into Czechoslovakia, Communist control of Czechoslovakia
Marshall Plan Approved in the USA
Berlin Crisis- USSR Berlin Blockade- Berlin Airlift
1949- USSR tests first Atomic Bomb
USSR- GDR (German Democratic Republic) Established in East Germany
USSR- All governments of Eastern Europe (except Yugoslavia) were under control of Stalin
1949- NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) formed “Trip wire” in Europe
USA Congress approves $1.5 billion in military aid to NATO countries
II. USA Foreign Policy Assumptions- Desire to validate success of Containment
Truman Doctrine, Containment, Orthodox Beliefs
Confirmed through Soviet expansion and Allied Support
Iron Curtain Speech- Churchill
General mistrust of Stalin- Dating back to WWII and Post WWII
III. Expansion of Communism in Asia-
Civil War in China- The Long March (1934-1935)
1945- USA sends support $3 billion to the Nationalists (Chiang Kai-shek)[2]
Important to note that the USA did not largely consider the relations that the USSR (especially Stalin) had with China and especially of Stalin’s view of Mao. “A weak china, like a weak Germany, would have pleased Stalin more.” [3] Stalin referred to the Maoists as “not really communists” and called them “Margarine Communists”. [4]
Chinese Civil War resumes (after defeat of Japan) 1946
USA support of Chiang Kai-shek (GMD- Nationalists) against Mao
1949- Mao declares China’s People’s Republic of China
USA seen as failing in its Containment Policy - EVERYONE PANIC!!!!!!
1950 Sino-Soviet Pact signed between China and USSR- “Treaty of Friendship” – For the USA this formed a second front to the Cold War.
IV. Decolonization after World War II brings greater instability & Increased nationalism
1946-1960- There were 37 emerging nations (new Cold War battlegrounds)
Korean War 1950-1953- Power vacuum in Korea following forced withdraw of Japanese by USSR & USA
Vietnam War- decline of French influence in Indochina
Eastern Europe-
Middle East-
Iran- Overthrow of the Iranian government (Mossadeg) in 1953 to reinstate the Shah. Operation AJAX-
Suez Crisis- 1956
V. Initiation of the Arms Race-
USA uses the first Atomic bomb, 1945
USSR explodes its first Atomic bomb, 1949
NSC-68- National Security Council Report- calls for a massive military buildup to stay ahead of the USSR. USA Orthodox assumptions of the USSR’s aims.
Truman called for a three-fold (3xs) increase in the defense budget, $13 billion
Korean would provide domestic justification for the tax raises especially after failure in China
VI. Korean Peninsula Divided-
Conclusion of World War II- Korea was divided at the 38th Parallel
1945- Potsdam Conference- The Big Three unilaterally agreed to divide Korea (Korea had been under the control of the Japanese.)
1945- The Moscow Conference- (Brynes (USA) and Molotov (USSR) met to discuss occupation in the Far East… agreed to a commission to recommend a single free government in Korea.).
North Korea- Communist Government
South Korea- Pro-Western Government
Immediate Causes of the
USA Involvement in the Korean War:
I. North Korean Aggression with USSR Support
April, 1950- Stalin gave Kim il Sung approval to invade South Korea
June 25, 1950- 75,000 North Korean troops, with Soviet tanks cross the 38th Parallel
Captured Seoul in three days
July, August- North Korean troops advanced southward
Kim Il Sung - sought to unite Korea under one Communist government. “liberate the south”
I. USA support of the United Nations Security Council
USSR was boycotting the Security Council (because of its not recognizing Mao’s government).
UN Security Council condemns North Korean Aggression, approved UN support and troops.
UN National Security Council Resolutions 82-85
16 countries sent military troops to Korean to fight with the UN forces (Greece too!)
II. Truman orders military support
June 27, 1950- Executive order to send troops after obtaining support of the UN Security Council
NSC-81 - USA National Security Council document giving support to cross the 38th Parallel.
September 15, 1950- General MacArthur- Naval Invasion at Inchon- took Seoul
UN Forces pushed the communists back to the 38th Parallel
III. USA with UN Support Advance North
MacArthur persuaded Truman to alter the goal to one of freeing all of the Korean Peninsula. MacArthur in many ways felt that he was infallible, especially after WWII. Extreme hubris!
MacArthur moved the UN forces nearly to the Chinese border at the Yalu River. Altered the aim of the war to instead “roll back” communism.
Mao warned the USA to stop the advance
IV. Chinese forces support North Korea
November 1950- Chinese forces surprise MacArthur- Push UN forces back beyond the 38th parallel.
Stalin encouraged Mao to enter the war.
(Mao had fought with Kim Il Sung in the Chinese Civil War)
USA- Infighting- Truman fires General MacArthur- Disputes over policies of the war. April 1951.
MacArthur- Criticized Truman for launching a “Limited War”- promoted the use of Atomic weapons.
MacArthur wanted to expand the war into China, Truman staunchly disagreed.
Domestic support for Truman declined greatly… weak on communism.
July 1951-1953: Peace talks in the UN with what to do over Korean.
Dwight D. Eisenhower- President- agreed to the settlement.
Effects of the Korean War:
I. Korea Divided at the 38th Parallel
1953- Border established at the “cease fire line”. Stalemate.
USA troop causalities: approximately 54,000
Estimated 3 million North and South Koreans killed
II. Accelerated the Arms Race
Expanded the USA domestic support for Military Build-up and containment.
Validation for the Domino Theory (Named in 1954 by Eisenhower)- would drive policy in Vietnam
USA Congress dramatically increased defense spending:
1951- $22.3 billion
1953 - $50.4 billion
Stockpile of 750 nuclear warheads (600 more than 2 years before.)[5]
America demonstrated its dominance in the Air… B-52 bombers, Napalm
USSR- Red Army increased:
1950- 2.8 million troops 1955- 5.8 million troops [6]
(After 1955 Khrushchev cut military spending, although expanded nuclear armaments.)
III. Enhanced the power of the President
Set a precedent for undeclared wars by the USA (Truman had not obtained Congressional approval).\
USA committed itself to protecting Taiwan from attack by China
Eisenhower (+ his Secretary of State John Foster Dulles)- rejected the policy of containment and adopted a new policy of Massive Retaliation
IV. Globalization of the Cold War [7]
Korean War represented a Hot War between client states.
Spread the Cold War to Asia.
USA identification of the Domino Theory (named in 1954 by Eisenhower)- later justification for Vietnam
1954 - SEATO created to fight communism in Asia (the South East Treaty Organization)
Adoption of Massive Retaliation
V. Enhanced power of the United Nations
UN proved that it could take action.
Criticized by some as a tool to expand capitalism.
I. Validated the power and influence of China
Mao declared victory in Korea… called it a “great victory”
China’s Communist Government seen as a real threat and a substantial military power.
½ million Chinese deaths in the Korean War.
Great for Paper 3 Review for Cold War containment in Asia:
Was containment a success in Korean? See page 58 of History: 20th Century World, the Cold War
Was containment a success in Japan? See page 59 of History: 20th Century World, the Cold War
Was containment a success in Taiwan? See page 60 of History: 20th Century World, the Cold War
Key Terms and Leaders from the Korean War:
Locations:
PRK- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)
Pyongyang- Capital of North Korea
ROK- Republic of Korea (South Korea)
Seoul – Capital of South Korea
Leaders:
Kim Il Sung - North Korean Leader (Communist)
Syngman Rhee- South Korean Leaders (pro-Western)- Staunch anti-communist
President Truman
General Douglas MacArthur
Dean Acheson (Secretary of State under Truman)
John Foster Dulles (Secretary of State under Eisenhower)
Cold War concepts & Terms:
Client states
UN Security Council
Proxy Wars
Domino Theory
Truman Doctrine
Containment
Korean War Key Terms:
Inchon
X- Corps- Marines who invaded at Inchon
NSC-81
Yalu River
Add your own:
Credit- Outline notes created by David Nelson, IB History 2011, ACS Athens
[1] "File:EasternBloc BorderChange38-48.svg." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 9 Jan. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:EasternBloc_BorderChange38-48.svg#filelinks>.
[2]2 Nash, Gary B. American Odyssey: the United States in the Twentieth Century. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1999. 573. Print.
[3] Nash, Gary B. American Odyssey: the United States in the Twentieth Century. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1999. 572. Print.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Nash, Gary B. American Odyssey: the United States in the Twentieth Century. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1999. 575. Print.
[6] Rogers, Keely, and Jo Thomas. History: the Cold War. Harlow, Essex: Heinemann International, 2008. 54-56. Print.
[7] Ibid.