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According to Khrushchev's memoirs, Kim visited Moscow to propose the launch and ask for support. Kim then returned with a more specific proposal, expressing firm conviction that US involvement could be avoided before Stalin gave his approval. (Local conflict)
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It was a force that "should be capable of offering token resistance to invasion and providing no plausible basis of allegations of being a threat to North Korea."
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In September 1949, US intelligence sources detected traces of radioactivity in the northern Pacific (***Note, Soviet testing of atomic bomb occurred on 29 August 1949)
Significance: This caused panic in Washington as it meant that the US atomic monopoly was over. -
China had been "lost" to communism and the continent of Asia was lay exposed to the communist menace.
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The speech omitted South Korea from the list of countries which the US woud automaticallt defend in the event of aggression.
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"Kim II Sung proposed but Stalin disposed." Stalin warned that Russia would not intervene directly in the conflict.
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Following Soviet successful testing of the atomic bomb which meant the loss of atomic monopoly for the US, Truman authorised the development of a thermonuclear or hydrogen bomb.
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The CCP and the Kremlin signed a 30-year mutual assistance treaty under which the Soviet Union promised to provide China with $300 million in credits.
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Proposed a substantial increase in military strength which meant a massive military build-up.
Why it was created? The Truman administration couldnot be seen to be inactive in response to the fall of China and Soviet possession of atomic bomb. -
Soviet sent military supplies and advisers to North Korea in May and June 1950
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90000 North Korean soldiers, battle-hardened by their experience in the Chinese civil war and spear-headed by 150 T-34 tanks, smashed through South Korea's border defences.
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The US sponsored a resolution in the United Nations Security Council, calling for military action against North Korea.
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Truman ordered American troops statione in Japan into South Korea. He enjoyed widespread support for his decisive action. US committed 260000 troops while UN soldiers from other nations never exceeded 35000. (***Clearly an American operation => Korean War is a Cold War conflict)
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In August 1950, North Koreans captured Seoul. The conditions for fighting were unpleasant (monsoon season and high temperatures).
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By September 1950, the UN forces occupied only a toehold around Pusan. MacArthur mounted an outflanking movement and UN troops broke out of the Pusan perimeter and advanced rapidly north.
(***Change in War aims. No longer pursuing a policy of containment but one of rollback. Decision was based on intelligence reports that neither the USSR nor China would intervene in the war => Limited => Cold War conflict -
The presence of American troops on the Chinese border of Yalu River was a threat to national security. Mao Ze Dong feared that Chiang Kai Shek might launch a counter-revolution within China. (***Korean War took on the role of a regional conflict now.)
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US troops were penned in by the Chinese at temperatures below subzero. In Decemeber, the UN forces suffered 11000 casualties in 2 days, of which 3000 US troops died.
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Following the recapture of Seoul by the Communist, Truman reverted back to original war aims. He briefly considered using atomic weapons against the Chinese to force their withdrawal from the war, but rejected as it might lead to world war with the USSR (***Show of restraint =>Limited nature => Cold War conflict)
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Launching of Operation Killer
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Launching of Operation Ripper and Operation Killer allowed for superior firepower and command of the air. These enabled UN troops to re-cross the 38th parallel. The rest of the war battle front stabilised along a line 150 miles long just north of the parallel.
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MacArthur was relieved of his duty as he was not happy about fighting a limited war.
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Peace talks dragged on for another 2 years due to two issues - Prisoner of War Issue and Stalin. (***POW Issue => Ideological aspect => Cold war conflict)
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Syngman Rhee ordered the release of 27000 POW which damaged the peace talks significantly but not fatally. He attempted to influence the end of the Korean War. Wanted to manipulate the major powers but failed. (Cold War conflict as it showed that the major powers were in control of the war.)
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Compromise on matters of repatriation resulted in an armistice in July 1953.
