Causes of the Cold War - Crisis over Korea

Causes of the Cold War - Crisis over Korea

1. The Cold War 1945- 1989 Crisis over Korea Reasons that the Cold War started

2. Reasons the Cold War started In today’s class I am learning to: Describe events in Korea, including the Korean War Analyse the impact of events in Korea in causing the Cold War

3. Reasons the Cold War started The USA knew that attempts to remove Communist control from countries would probably lead to war . Their policy was Containment , where they aimed to stop any further spread of Communism, with funds and military support.

4. Reasons the Cold War started This led to what was known as the Truman Doctrine . US President Harry Truman promised support to any country being threatened by Communist groups. This included military aid being given to Greece in 1947 .

5. Reasons the Cold War started Most of the early disagreements between the USA and USSR took place in Europe. However tensions also existed in Asia . This was especially after China became Communist in 1949 , following a major civil war .

6. Reasons the Cold War started Chinese communism was not created by the USSR – but they did support it. One reason the Communists won the civil war was that the USSR helped them by giving them Japanese weapons from during World War Two.

7. Reasons the Cold War started China becoming Communist (with USSR help) increased American fears as well as anger towards the Soviet Union. This forced the USA strategy of Containment to not simply target Europe but also Asia .

8. Reasons the Cold War started The USSR wanted to influence Asia because their territory covers this continent; they had no such plans in western Europe . When Communist revolts broke out in Greece in 1944 , the USSR agreed that British troops could stop it.

9. Reasons the Cold War started Korea was under the control of Japan until the end of the Second World War. Before Japan’s surrender, Soviet troops had invaded the north of Korea; the USA had control of the south of the country.

10. Reasons the Cold War started The north and s outh of Korea were different; the north was Communist and the south was Capitalist. Each government believed they should have control of all Korea. In June 1950 , the north invaded the south of Korea.

11. Reasons the Cold War started In the early days of th e war, the north was in control. They forced the south ’s troops to retreat . The north even took control of Seoul , the south’s capital city. It looked as though the Communists would control all Korea.

12. Reasons the Cold War started The USA wanted to stop a Communist Korea and so supported United Nations ’ efforts (in fact, 90% of UN troops were American). This was also because the US government had been heavily criticised after China become Communist .

13. Reasons the Cold War started America gave a huge amount of military support to the south (along with countries like the UK). The USA’s backing included sending in ground troops and also military aircraft such as F-86 Sabre jets .

14. Reasons the Cold War started As the USA was providing military support to the south, the USSR and China gave similar help to the north. For instance, China sent in soldiers to take part in the fighting.

15. Reasons the Cold War started The Soviet Union was at first reluctant to become directly involved in the war. However over time they agreed to do so. This included sending Soviet MIG-15 aircraft to take part in aerial battles, and giving medical aid too.

16. Reasons the Cold War started The USA and USSR each provided support in the Korean War – bringing them into military conflict with one another. This clearly showed their rivalry and would only increase as each tried to stop the other one.

17. Reasons the Cold War started It was not simply the USSR that provided support for the north of Korea; Communist China did too. Despite of this, they did not enter a Cold War with the USA, suggesting other factors (outwith Asia) may be more relevant.

18. Reasons the Cold War started The Korean conflict even created the possibility that nuclear weapons could be used, causing global war fears.

19. Reasons the Cold War started During the Korean War, both sides made and lost ground. It was a stalemate : a conflict that neither side could win. By 1953 both sides wanted to see an end to the war, especially new US President Dwight Eisenhower .

20. Reasons the Cold War started On 27 July 1953 a ceasefire was agreed. This agreed to divide the country at the 38 th Parallel. This created North Korea and South Korea , divided by a demilitarised zone , about 2.5 miles wide and 160 miles long.

21. Reasons the Cold War started Korea was not the only Asian country in which both sides came into conflict. Most famously in Vietnam the USA sent in troops to stop the Communist north taking control of the south. However this ended with a Communist win .

22. Reasons the Cold War started Before the Korean War, both sides had only engaged in arguments , not military conflict. The Korean War established that the USA and USSR were both prepared to use their military to stop the other side, leading to the Cold War.

23. Reasons the Cold War started However ultimately the Korean War ended with neither side having lost ground, or seen the other gain. This undermines the idea that the Korean War led to Cold War because by 1953 this Asian conflict had come to an end.