Chinese civil war
•During WWII China had been occupied by Japanese forces.
•After their surrender conflict for control of the new govt. erupted between Communist (CCP) & Nationalist (KMT) supporters.
•The communists were led by Mao Zedong.
•The Nationalists were led by Jiang Jieshi, also known as Chiang Kai-Shek.

Nationalist defeat
•KMT Weaknesses:
-Corrupt
-Unorganised
-Divided
-Unpopular

•By 1949 it was clear that a communist victory was inevitable and the US withdrew its support.
•Jiang Jieshi fled to the island of Formosa (Taiwan).
•In the US Truman faced a backlash of anger and fear over the ‘fall of China’ .
This fear of communism taking over the globe led to the rise of ‘McCarthyism’ in the USA

US Policy
•The US refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the CCP.

•US Govt. must prevent a Sino-Soviet alliance at all costs.
•USA had done “everything in its power” to prevent the ‘fall’ of China. à China White Paper
•Continued support of the KMT was carried out in secret.

Korea

Who:
•Mao Zedong
•Truman
•Stalin
•Churchill
•Kennan
•Jiang Jieshi

What:
•Long Telegram
•Marshall Aid/Plan
•China White Paper
•Perimeter Speech
•Iron Fist
•Truman Doctrine
•Comecon
•Cominform
When:
•Year of Berlin Blockade
•Iron Curtain Speech
•Potsdam Conference
•USSR Atomic Bomb
•Creation of PRC
•Division of Korea

Key features
What are the key features of conflict post-1945?
•Superpowers not in direct conflict
•Words and Ideologies
•Local wars
•Testing grounds for new weapons
•Spheres of influences
•Collapse of the old Imperial powers
•Arms Race
•Fear of being defeated

Korea
•Annexed by Japan in 1910
•Part of the Japanese Empire, at end of World War 2
•Southern half – liberated by USA
•Northern half – liberated by USSR
•Divided along the 38th parallel
•Intention re-unification at some point in the near future
•Problem – political division
•Problem - spheres of influence created

Korea
Southern Korea
Leader: Synghman Rhee
Rabid anti-Communist
Supported by USA – economic support, no US military forces in region
Northern Korea
Leader: Kim Il Sung
Communist
Trained/supported by USSR – economic support, military resources supplied

Uno
•Created, 1945, to stop future war
•5 permanent members – USA, USSR, Nationalist China, UK, France
•USA and USSR key players in the Security Council
•Security Council made decisions about committing Military Aid in time of Crisis
•All 5 permanent Security Council members had to agree on action

Domino Theory
•A theory that developed in the West post-1945
•Concerned loss of influence to USSR and her satellites
•Suggested that when one country went Communist, its neighbours would follow
•Popular with individuals such as Senator McCarthy … the ‘Reds under the Bed’ approach

Korea in 1950
•A series of border clashes throughout 1949 and early 1950 raised the political tension in the area
•Both sides accused the other of violations of sovereignty
•North Korea looked to USSR for support, received sympathy and equipment, but no direct backing for an offensive
•South Korea received similar words and support from USA

•Early 1950, Stalin agreed to support a military re-unification of Korea
•North Korean army provided with new Soviet equipment + volunteers from China, who had been part of Mao’s successful revolution in China
•North Korean forces were superior in all aspects of military resources
•North Korean forces crossed the 38th Parallel on 25 June 1950

Initial Conflict
1950:
•25 June – Northern forces crossed the 38th Parallel
•27 June – UN Security Council Resolution to support South Korea agreed, USA + 15 countries to provide troops
•1 July – US troops arrive in South Korea
•15 September – UN landings at Inchon
•30 September – South Korean forces cross 38th Parallel into North Korea

Uno
•Security Council met within hours of the North Korean offensive
•Resolution UNSC 82 was agreed, the UNO would provide forces to support the South Koreans
•USSR, absent, boycotting the UNSC, because China was not admitted as a full, permanent member – could have vetoed this support and changed history

Korean War

United Nations response:
•Military forces requested
•16 Nations responded
•USA largest and swiftest in response – used forces in Japan to support South Korean forces in the Pusan Pocket
•USA became military leader of the UN forces
•Douglas MacArthur placed in overall command
•First offensive landings at Inchon

Sit Rep 1st October 1950:
•UN forces on the 38th Parallel
•South Korean forces had crossed the Parallel
•US Congress supports President Truman, aims redefined … reunification of Korea = goal; agreed with the UN
•MacArthur ordered to take UN forces north – Pyongyang (North Korean capital) captured by end of the month

October 1950
•Inchon landings forced North Koreans to retreat and the retreat continued to the 38th Parallel
•UN forces pursued beyond the 38th parallel
•24th October, UN forces reach the Yalu River
•Communist China threatened that any advance to the Yalu would elicit a response.
•1st November, 200,000 Chinese volunteers, supporting 150,000 North Koreans; attacked South and started a UN retreat, which lasted until January 1951

1950 – 1953
•MacArthur requested the use of Nuclear weapons to halt the Chinese offensive – Truman refused
•January 1951, UN offensive halted the Chinese advance
•In truth the Chinese offensive had run its course as the army had outrun their supply lines and resources
•MacArthur was removed in April 1951

•From mid-1951 until the signing of the Armistice on 27th July 1953; neither side was able to achieve a break-through
•The war became static, like that of the First World War.
•This was a war where technology meant little, rather it was a case of select a strong position and hold it!

Important
•Peace hard to achieve – Panmunjom talks still continue; 55 years!
•Stalemate could not be broken
•Technology was matched by careful planning of defences
•High human cost
•Distrust became endemic
•New technology

•Superpowers could not afford to enter into conflict
•Superpowers armed the 2 sides:
North – USSR, China
South – USA and her allies
•Even short wars were expensive in terms of human life
•War cost approx. $22.5 billion