Kim wanted Korea united under his rule and asked Stalin for help in 1950
4 of 15
Why did Stalin help?
He had an atomic bomb in 1949, China turned communist in 1949, the South wasn't highlighted in the US 'defense perimeter'
5 of 15
Defensive perimeter
An area that the US was committed to providing security against communism to
6 of 15
North invaded the south with Soviet tanks in...
June 1950
7 of 15
US intervention
Truman was under domestic pressure to intervene after he 'lost China to communism'.
8 of 15
NSC-68
1950, secret document stating US policy in the cold war, argued USSR wanted world domination, increased defense spending, Korea was the first sign it was being implimented
9 of 15
Containment or rollback?
UN authorised intervention, USSR wasnt there so couldn't veto it, successful offensive was staged, Truman authorised a continued rollback to Chinese boarder.
10 of 15
Chinese intervention
Mao was determined to stop the UN force, conflict reached a stalemate until the 1953 armistice.
11 of 15
Armistice
An agreement to stop fighting
12 of 15
The significance of the Korean War
Superpowers were prepared to use force, wanted to avoid direct conflict (proxy wars), showed the importance of domestic pressure on US policy
13 of 15
Proxy wars
A conflict in which two or more powers fight each other indirectly through other countries
14 of 15
US Domestic politics
Linked to the development of the Cold War as China lobby forced Truman to take a more aggressive approach against communism
Comments
No comments have yet been made