Korean War - Causes and outbreak of Korean War

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  • Created by: Alasdair
  • Created on: 04-04-17 11:15
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  • Causes and outbreak of the Korean War
    • Long-term Yalta and Potsdam
      • Atomic bomb changes - US need ally for Pacific
      • US Comm containment commitment (Keep USSR ou of Asia)
      • FDR and Stalin agreed to Soviet-American-British-Chinese trusteship at Yalta
      • Potsdam, Truman puts plans for Korea on hold (Japanese not yet defeated)
    • Aims of Kim Il Sung and Syngman Rhee
      • Kim Il Sung wants:
        • Unified Korean Peninsula
        • Under his control
        • Communist state
        • Use military force
        • Wanted USSR support
      • Syngman Rhee
        • Wants Unified Korean Peninsula
        • Ruled from the South
        • Backed by US but not democracy
        • Constantly asked US if they could back war on the North
    • US contribution to the outbreak of war in Kora
      • Support brutal and unpopular Rhee (authoritarian leader)
      • 12th Jan, Secretary of State Dean Acheson did not specify Korea was in US defence perimeter strategy and that UN would defend it if attacked.
      • Senator Connally suggested US would accept possible Communist takeover of whole Peninsula
      • Congress rejects bill for aid for Korea
    • Soviet Support for Kim Il Sung
      • Kim IIl Sung sees Stalin as leader of Comm in world wants -
        • Approval to invade
        • Soviet fighter jets
      • Stalin constantly said no - busy with Poland, Germany and Europe, etc.
      • Stalin gives approval in March 1950
      • Reasons include:
        • Situation in Europe settled (border set, Berlin Blockade resolved)
        • Chance of nuclear war
        • Situation in Asia more fluid
      • 1949: China falls to Comm (an ally)
      • War between Ch and US would weaken both sides and make USSR ore powerful
      • Stalin feared growing Japan (getting more powerful)
      • Stalin wanted to get there first (North invades South before vice-versa)
      • Cheap war (no USSR soldiers on ground, just tanks and aircraft)

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