Transcript The Korean War - Chinese-history-through

The Korean War
1950-1953
• Korea-a tributary state of China before 1895
• Colony of Japan from 1895 to 1945
• “In due course Korea shall become free and
independent.” the Cairo Conference in 1943
• The Soviet Union entered Manchuria and controlled
north Korea in August 1945
• Dean Rusk was asked to find dividing line between the
US and Russia in Korea - the 38th parallel as a dividing
line based on a National Geographic map, so the US
controlled the other side of Korea
• Republic of Korea and People’s Democratic Republic
of Korea were established respectively in 1947.
Communication between Kim, Stalin and Mao
• National independence movement in Asia
– India, Pakistan, China, Indonesia,
– Burma, Lao, Philippine and Viet Nam
– Both South Korea and North Korea were eager to
unify Korea
• Kim IL Sung’s initiative to launch the war
– First request: visit Moscow from March 4 to
April 7, 1949
– Second request: September 3, 1949
– Third request: January 17 and April 1950
Stalin’s Response
• First time in April 1949
• Second time September 1949
• Third time in January and April 1950:
– Stalin clearly told Kim that he was "ready to help
him in this matter.” However, Stalin told Kim that
the Soviet Union would not join the fray if the
United States participated in this confrontation.
Then Stalin asked Kim to consult with Mao,
because Mao had "a good understanding of
Oriental matters."
Mao’s Response
• May 13, 1950 Kim Il Sung visited Beijing to inform Mao that
Stalin had granted him permission to invade the South.
• Mao decided to hall the discussion immediately and asked Zhou
Enlai, to contact Russian Embassy to clarify what Kim said at
11:30 pm.
• Pilippov [Stalin] expressed the opinion that, in light of the
changed international situation, they agreed with the proposal of
the Koreans to move toward reunification. ..the question should
be decided finally by the Chinese and Korean comrades together,
and in case of disagreement by the Chinese comrades the
decision on the question should be postponed.
• Mao had no reason to say no any more in this situation, and he
ordered the PLA to make preparation to take Taiwan back as
soon as possible.
The Rational of Stalin’s New Position:
Kill three birds with one stone
• Expand the territory of Moscow’s sphere of
interest
• Win Kim’s loyalty
• Tie Mao to the side of Moscow
Dean Acheson’s Speech
• On January 12, 1950, U.S. Secretary of
State Dean Acheson addressed the National
Press Club the nation's Asia policy. In
describing the Pacific Defense Perimeter,.
Acheson listed Korea and Taiwan out of the
defense perimeter.
III-3 The Korean War Broke out
• June 25, 1951: North Korean invaded South Korea
• June 26: Truman ordered to use US air and naval forces to help S.
Korea
• June 27: President Truman ordered to block the Taiwan Straits with
the Seventh Fleet.
• July 30 to 31: Douglas MacArthur visited Taiwan. He gave a speech
calling Taiwan an important part in America’s defensive perimeter in
the western Pacific.
• September 15: The Inchon landing.
• September 27: Truman authorized MacArthur to cross the 38 parallel
• October 1: South Korean troops crossed the 38th parallel.
• October 19: Captured Pyongyang.
• China’s boarder cities were bombed frequently when the war broke
out.
Maps of the Korean War
Washington’s National Security Concerns
• Leader of the free world, sphere of interest, credibility and
image
– Dean Acheson: Sung’s invasion “was an open, undisguised
challenge to our internationally accepted position as the
protector of South Korea, an area of great importance to the
security of American-occupied Japan. To back away from this
challenge, in view of our capacity for meeting it, would be
highly destructive of the power and prestige of the United States.
By prestige I mean the shadow cast by power, which is of great
deterrent importance. Therefore, ...we must steel ourselves for
the use of force.
– Domestic politics
– “lost China” criticism
– McCarthyism
– “chain reaction” theory
Why did Mao decide to enter the war
How could Mao not enter the war?
• a buffer area would be gone if Kim’s regime were to be
replaced by Rhee’s government.
– As Zhou worried, “How many troops are needed to guard
the Yalu River of one thousand kilometers? Moreover,
they have to wait there year by year without knowing
when the enemy may come.”
• Stalin urged Kim to set up a government in exile in the
Northeast of China and organize guerilla war there. From
Mao’s perspective, this would offer an excuse for the United
States to invade China to fight Kim’s remnants. Such a SinoU.S. confrontation would take place in the territory of China.
Moreover, the Soviet Union could take advantage of this
opportunity to dispatch its troops to the Northeast.
How could Mao not enter the war?
• Economically, this region with rich natural resources,
advanced industrial equipment, and skilled laborers would
be threatened.
• From the perspective of domestic security, GMD remnants
in Mainland China would be bold enough to make troubles
when they had hope of overthrowing this new regime.
• Chiang Kai-shek asked to send his troops into the war fighting
Mao’s troops
• The legitimacy of the CCP was under challenge
• Mao’s logic for dealing with the Korean crisis and his will
to fight were somewhat comparable to John Kennedy’s
logic for coping with the Cuban crisis in 1962.
The Korean War- A Greek Tragedy
• The national independence movement after
WWII
– Defeat of Germany and Japan
– Decline of Great Britain, France and Netherland in
Asia
– America’s anti-colony policy
– Independence in India, China and Indonesia
– Both Sung and Rhee worked hard to win Korea’s
unification and independence
• Status quo-the world was divided into two
spheres of interest by two superpowers
• The Sino-US confrontation in Korea-a Greek
tragedy
Consequences of the Korean War
• Casualties: 399,000 (or 500,000 to 1 million)
• China lost opportunity to take Taiwan back.
• Hostility between China & US for two decades
• Psychological victory: the first time in a century that China was able to
withstand a Western power
• The legitimacy of the PRC and the CCP was recognized
• Mao established his absolute authority in the CCP, person cult and
dictatorship appeared.
• Impact on Mao’s domestic policies, even China’s population policy