NBSS HY Sec 4 Chapter 2 Kite Notes 2018

@Naval Base Secondary School, Humanities Department 2021 1 Chapter 2: The Korean War Section Section Title You should be able to explain: 2.1 How did the tensions within Korea become part of the Cold War? Reasons for the conflict: 1. Partition of Korea after World War II 2. Reasons for the outbreak of the Korean War 3. The role of superpowers and regional powers in local conflicts, with reference to the Korean War 2.2 To what extent was the Korean War more of a civil war than a proxy war? 2.3 How did the Korean War impact the development of the Cold War? Name: Class: Date Received: Teacher’s Name:

@Naval Base Secondary School, Humanities Department 2021 2 OVERVIEW OF CHAPTER 2 – THE KOREAN WAR

@Naval Base Secondary School, Humanities Department 2021 3 Key Issue: How did tensions within Korea become part of the Cold War? (partition of Korea and reasons for Korean War) Identify Factor Tell the story What is the factor about? Explain the story How did the factor lead to the Korean War? Post-war partition of Korea • At the end of World War II, Allies decided to divide previously Japanese -occupied Korea into two along the 38th parallel. • Soviet Union would occupy areas north of the 38 th parallel, while USA would occupy the areas south of the 38th parallel. • Both USA and USSR agreed that Korea should be unified under a single government, but no agreement on how to unite Korea. • Both Korean leaders – Syngman Rhee and Kim Il Sung – wanted to unite the country, but was unable to do so without the support of USA and USSR respectively. • (I) Thus, the separation of Korea into two separate entities with local Korean leaders backed by USA and USSR resulted in a situation where democratic and communist forces were in close proximity in Korea. • (R) This led to tensions between North and South Korean leaders as they think they could unify the country and remove the other party from Korea. • (O) This in turn led allowed both USA and USSR to be pulled into the Korean conflict, and turned tensions within Korea to be part of the Cold War conflict. Formation of two Koreas • Kim Il Sung, the North Korean communist leader, wanted to reunify Korea under one rule, and was prepared to use violence to achieve this if necessary. • He received support from Soviet Union , which wanted to establish their dominance and influence over political and economic developments in the North Korea. • Kim made several trips to Soviet Union to persuade Stalin to provide support to rebuild North Korea and wage war against the South. Military and economic support was granted by Stalin. • Syngman Rhee, the South Korean leader, was elected through national elections, and he also wanted to unify Korea , but under democracy with the support of USA. • However, Rhee’s rule became increasingly authoritarian but continued to receive USA’s support as USA needed Rhee’s government to prevent communist influence from spreading to the South. • However, USA did not provide much military support for Rhee as USA felt that Rhee’s authoritarian rule and desire to conquer North Korea was rash. • (I) Thus, with the heavy Soviet influence and military and economic support, North Korea became closely linked to the Communist bloc and the North Korean army was well-trained compared to South Korea. • (R) This led Kim Il Sung to be confident that North Korea would be able to secure a victory if it launched an invasion of the South. • (O) This in turn led Kim Il Sung to continue to pursue his goal of unifying Korea even with the use of force, turning tensions within Korea into part of the Cold War conflict. • (I) Thus, even though Rhee had USA’s support to be the South Korea leader, he was unable to obtain much military aid to build up the South Korean army for them to unite Korea by force. • (R) This led Rhee to demand for more military support from USA so that he could eventually unite Korea through Korea. • (O) This in turn led to further tensions between North and South Korea when relationship was already strained by the opposing ideologies of both governments, eventually turning the Korean war into part of the Cold War conflict.

@Naval Base Secondary School, Humanities Department 2021 4 Identify Factor Tell the story What is the factor about? Explain the story How did the factor lead to the Korean War? Importance of Korea in the context of the Cold War Importance of Korea to Soviet Union and nuclear parity. • Korea was deemed important by Soviet Union because it was near Soviet Union, China and other countries in the Asia - pacific region. • Korea can serve as a base from which communists could spread their ideology to the rest of Asia. • In 1949, Soviet Union successfully created the atomic bomb and enjoyed atomic parity with USA. • (I) Thus, the increasing importance Soviet Union placed on Russia resulted in more Soviet influence in Korea in hopes of using it to spread communism in Asia. • (R)This led USA to be wary of Soviet intentions in Korea and in Asia, especially in the Cold War context. • (O) This in turn led both USA and USSR to pay more attention to Korea, resulting in military intervention that turned the tensions within Korea into part of the Cold War conflict. Communist Victory in China • In 1949, communists in China managed to emerge victorious in the civil war and China became a communist country. • China, North Korea and Soviet Union held a series of meetings to discuss providing military support for North Korea. • China’s reason for supporting North Korea was also to create a buffer zone against the American forces in South Korea. • (I) Thus the communist victory in China allowed Soviet Union and the communist forces in Asia to have a huge ally which could provide military support in any conflict. • (R) This led USA to believe that the Communist threat was growing in Asia and could affect Korea and Japan eventually. • (O) This in turn led USA to take actions to intervene in Korea during the Korean War so as to prevent Korea from becoming a communist base, turning the Korean tensions into a Cold War conflict. Sino-Soviet Alliance • In 1950, China and Soviet Union agreed on the Sino-Soviet Alliance. • Both countries decided to come to each other’s aid if either country was attacked. • China would commit forces to support North Korea if the planned invasion of South Korea was not successful, while Soviet Union need not intervene directly in any Korean conflict. • (I) Thus, the establishment of alliance between China and Soviet Union allowed for the provision of military support to North Korea as both countries had more support. • (R) This led Stalin to think that the North Korean invasion could be carried out as Soviet Union could avoid a direct conflict with USA, while at the same time allow the communist bloc to obtain a base to spread communism in Asia. • (O) This in turn led Soviet Union and China to commit their support for North Korea in order to gain advantages against USA in the Cold War rivalry, turning the Korean War into part of the Cold War.

@Naval Base Secondary School, Humanities Department 2021 5 Identify Factor Tell the story What is the factor about? Explain the story How did the factor lead to the Korean War? Impact on development of USA foreign policy • Korea was not a significant area of interest,