AICE International World History 1945 – 1991 Topic Two: Globalization of the Cold War

AICEInternational World

History 1945 – 1991

Topic Two: Globalization of the Cold War

Kevin SacerdoteMandarin High SchoolJacksonville, FL

Korean Partitioning

38th Parallel

Kevin Sacerdote Mandarin High Jacksonville, FL 3


The Korean War (1950-1953)

• A surprise invasion of South Korea on June 25, 1950.– Eventually Kim IL Sung received the Soviet

backing, and China’s troops as backing– The USA went to the United Nations for

support• The permanent veto of the Soviets was not

used because they were in the midst of a UN boycott

• The UN would not recognize Mao’s government as the Chinese delegation

• Originally the US had little interest in Korea


38th Parallel

• North under Soviet watch, and South under the USA– The Russians leave a lot of equipment for Kim

Il Sung, the US is weary of giving Syngman Rhee too much afraid he will invade the north

• Elections and UN actions failed to unify the country, so divisions formed:– The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

(DPRK) in the North under Kim Il Sung


38th Parallel

• The Republic of Korea (ROK) was established in the south led by Syngman Rhee

– Rhee had lived in the US for over 30 years

– Staunch anti-communist



Korean War (Undeclared War)

• Korea becomes the first HOT spot during the Cold War– NSC 68 kicked in– Korea becomes a symbolic test of the U.S.

policy to confront communist expansion worldwide, rather than in Europe directly

– The US did NOT have any Treaty or alliance with Korea that justified a military response to the North Korean invasion

– Truman to the UN : 16 Nations “involved”


Korean (Undeclared) War

• N. Korea has early advantage, push deep into the south

• June 27, 1950 Truman authorized the use of US Naval and air forces on behalf of the United Nations in a “police action”

• Sept. 15 (post Japanese surrender) MacArthur counterattacks – Amphibious landing at Inchon (outside Seoul,

South Korea)– Other “UN” forces land behind enemy lines,

cutting the N. Korean forces in half….quick retreat north of the 38th parallel


General Douglas MacArthur• Drives north to the Chinese border

(Yalu River)– China is very annoyed, sends in waves of hundreds of thousands of troops (Nov. 1950)– MacArthur driven back south of the 38th,

asks Truman “what about nukes?”– Truman fires MacArthur, (April 11, 1951) a

highly unpopular move- he’s welcomed home as a war hero

• “Ticker-Tape” Parade in NYC, and a speech in Congress


Korea 1950-1953

• Spring 1951: 38th parallel is secure– July 1951: Truman talks peace with China– Fall of 1952: American public is tired of

the war– By 1952: The Democrats had been in

charge of the Presidency since 1933


Eisenhower

• Served as supreme commander of Allied Forces in Europe (WW II)

• Armistice signed June of 1953– 54,246 Americans and 3.6 million

Koreans killed, 1,000,000 Chinese either died or were wounded


Implications of the Korean War Eraand The “Four Point Plan”

1. Announced Jan. 1949 (Truman)2. Approved by Congress June, 1950 (two

days after North Korea’s initial invasion into south Korea)

3. Abolished by Eisenhower in 19534. The Four Point Program

• Health Care, Farming, Irrigation, and Transportation

• Goal: To fight the spread of communism in impoverished less developed countries

• Including: India, Paraguay, Iran, Liberia and later Israel, and Taiwan


Other Implications of the Korean War Era

5. America aggressively signs agreements with Pacific area countries to increase our presence

• Japan 1951- restoring its sovereignty (occupation ends April 28, 1952)

• Australia, New Zealand (the ANZUS Pact), and the Philippines

6. U.S. Defense Spending Dramatically Increased

7. Number of U.S. Military Personnel Rose• From 1.5 million (1950) to 3.5 million (1954)• Number in foreign lands rose from 280,000 to

One million



8. North Korea’s invasion fueled American fears that similar attacks could happen in Europe

– The U.S. decides to rearm West Germany & send more troops there

9. The U.S. Congress approved an expansion of NATO

• Greece in 1951• Turkey in 1952 and• West Germany in 1955

10. The U.S. also extended diplomatic relations to Spain (Franco) and Yugoslavia (Tito)



11. Stalin increased his military from 2.8 million (1948) to 5 million (1953)

12. Some claim the Truman-Stalin Era of 1945 – 1953 was THE most intense period of global rivalry, but change is evident:

• Stalin Dies in March of 1953• Two year struggle: Khrushchev v. Malenkov to

follow

• Dwight Eisenhower is elected in 1952

AICE International World History 1945 – 1991 Topic Two: Globalization of the Cold War

Documents

parallel north

korean forces

north korean invasiontruman

south koreaother

republic of korea rok

korean war undeclared

truman fires macarthur

united nations