When? Where? Who? Why?

The Korean War L/O

To review the Cold War 1945-1950

To understand why war broke out in Korea in 1950

Origins of the Cold War 1945-1950

Activation! Reminder….

Yalta Meeting – Feb 1945

Agreed on Polish Elections

Agreed to dividing Germany

Agreed on punishing Nazi War Criminals

Potsdam Meeting August 1945

Change of Leader – Roosevelt – Truman

Russia had not given Poles elections

Suspicion – America had a new bomb

Truman Doctrine (1946)

Marshall Plan (1946-1948)

Berlin Crisis (1947-1948) ( CABAN)

Russia (USSR) build their first atomic bomb

• So, we now reach 1949. As a result of the Berlin Crisis the following began;

CENA

• Cold War got worse

• East/West Germany set up

• NATO and Warsaw Pact set up

• Arms race begins.

In 1949, China became a Communist country. America was shocked. This was evidence of the dreaded domino theory. There were fears that communism could spread across Asia.

Map of the Cold War - 1949

PRESIDENT Harry S Truman –US President

from 1945-53. Truman hated communism and in

his doctrine promised to “support free peoples”

Joseph Stalin –Russian dictator from the late

1920s to 1953. Intent on spreading communism

around the globe.

• In 1945, the Japanese were forced out of Korea. American and the USSR agreed to divide Korea into two.

8. 38th parallel –a line of latitude on the map going through Korea.

North Korea –(led by Kim II Sung) was Communist. Supported by Stalin and China.

Kim Il Sung

6.South Korea –(led by Syngman Rhee) was

capitalist.

• Domino Theory – 1949 - Truman was

devastated by the fall

of China to

communism. A

triumphant Stalin now

believed the time was

ripe for communism to spread through Asia.

Map of the Cold War - 1949

9. North Korea – Attacked South Korea in

June 1950 with the backing of Russia and

China.

What will Truman do?

The Doctrine • Truman was humiliated over the

fall of China. Now Korea was under threat. He was known as the president that “lost” China. What would he do in Korea?

• The UN • So it was not seen as an “American

action”, America arranged for the UN to meet to discuss the crisis. Russia had withdrawn because of their anger over the refusal to allow the entry of China into the UN. They voted that the invasion was unjustified and backed military action to “roll back” the communist threat.

General MacArthur

Head of US Forces,

Korea

Cartoon by British artist, David Low. During the Korean War, critics

said that the USA simply pulled the strings of the UN like a puppet.

How does the cartoon support this view?

Plenary