WHAT HAPPENED IN THE KOREAN WAR ?
Part one :
- At the end of the WWII, Korea was divided temporarily into two states: the North backed by the USSR and the South by the USA.
- In October 1949 the Communists won the civil war in China and forced the US-backed Nationalists to flee to Taïwan.
- In June 1950, North Korea invaded the South and overran most of the country.
- The USSR had boycotted the UN because the USA had prevented the UN from admitting Communist China. As a result, the USSR could not veto the US proposal to send troops to help South Korea.
Part two :
- The USA sent an army to join the remains of the South Korean army at Pusan.
- In September 1950, a US/UN army attacked behind the North korean lines.
-The North Korean were defeated and forced back acroos the border.
- The US/UN army chased the North Koreans almost as far as the Chinese border.
Part three :
- The chinese feared that the USA planned to defeat Communism in North Korea and China, so they invaded in oct. 1950.
- The US/UN army was forced back across the border into South Korea.
- The US general Mac Arthur wanted to use the atom bomb against the Chinese but President Truman refused and later sacked him.
- The war came to stalemate in July 1951 and a ceasefire was agreed in 1953, with the front line close to the old border between North and South Korea.
WHY DID THE USA HELP SOUTH KOREA ?
1. Truman was angry that the Communists won the civil war in China 1949 and was determinated to reinforce to Policy of Containment.
2. He saw South Korea as the next "domino" - If it fell, Communism could spread to Japan, Taïwan and South east Asia;
3. Having saved South Korea, there was an opportunity to"roll back" Communism by uniting Korea under the southern government.
4. it was impossible for the USA and its allies to fight in Korea in the name of UN, which gave a greater legitimacy.
WHO WAS WHO IN THE KOREAN WAR ?
- General MacArthur : Commander of the US/UN forces
- Kim Il Sung : leader of north Korea
- Mao Zedong : Leader of communist China
- President Dwight D. Eisenhower : US President from 1953.
- Syngman Rhee : Ledar of South Korea.