The korean conflict2
- 1. The Korean Conflict: The Forgotten War 1950-1953
- 3. Origins • Korea was invaded and ruled by Japan from 1910 until 1945 • After WWII, Korea was split into two-North(USSR) and South(US) at the 38th parallel • An election was going be held to eventually unify Korea
- 4. • The United Nations held an election in 1948. • The Soviet Union refused to allow participation in the election in their occupied zone. • Instead, they handed over power to the North Korean Communist Party under Kim IL-Sung. • The South elected the nationalist exile Syngman Rhee.
- 5. Kim Il-Sung
- 6. Syngman Rhee
- 8. • US government stated in January, 1950 that Korea was “outside of our defense perimeter”. What does this mean? • This encouraged North Korea to be aggressive. • South Korean President Syngman Rhee and North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung both wanted to reunite Korea under their own systems. • Because of the US withdrawal, the North Koreans were the ones able to go on the offensive
- 9. • The People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union were wary of a war in Korea. • Mao and Stalin were concerned that it would encourage American intervention in Asia after just leaving. • Kim was able to manipulate both Mao and Stalin into supporting their invasion of South Korea
- 10. Stalin and Mao
- 11. The War Begins • On June 25, 1950, North Korean forces invaded the South. • Using Soviet equipment, their surprise attack was very successful. • Within days South Korean forces were in full retreat. • Seoul was captured by the North Koreans in early July.
- 12. • Eventually the South Korean forces, and the small number of Americans in Korea, were driven into a small area in the far South around the city of Pusan. • With the aid of American supplies and air support the South Korean forces managed to stabilize this area. • Although more UN support arrived it looked as though the North could gain control of the entire peninsula.
- 14. • The invasion of South Korea came as a complete surprise to the United States. • On hearing of the invasion, Truman agreed to use U.S. airstrikes against the North Korean forces. • General Douglass MacArthur was put in charge of American forces in the Pacific.
- 15. United Nations Police Action • United Nations Security Council voted to send troops to help South Korea. • US, Great Britain, France, China and the Soviet Union were permanent members that could veto the “police action”. • Why didn’t the USSR and/or China veto this proposal?
- 16. UN Forces vs. Communist Forces • US, South Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, France, Turkey, Thailand, Greece, the Netherlands, Ethiopia, Colombia, the Philippines, Belgium, and Luxembourg • North Korea, Soviet Union, China
- 17. Troop Strengths • Peak strength for the UNC was 932,964 on July 27, 1953 -- the day the Armistice Agreement was signed: • Republic of Korea 590,911 • Columbia 1,068 • United States 302,483 • Belgium 900 • United Kingdom 14,198 • South Africa 826 • Canada 6,146 • The Netherlands 819 • Turkey 5,453 • Luxembourg 44 • Australia 2,282 • Philippines 1,496 • New Zealand 1,385 • Thailand 1,204 • Ethiopia 1,271 • Greece 1,263 • France 1,119
- 18. UN Attacks • In order to take pressure off of the Pusan Perimeter, MacArthur ordered an amphibious landing far behind the North Korean troops at Inchon. • United Nations troops landed at Inchon and faced only mild resistance and quickly moved to recapture Seoul. • The North Koreans, finding their supply lines cut, began a rapid retreat northwards from the Pusan Perimeter. • UN and S.K. forces drive northward from the Pusan Perimeter to unite with the Inchon troops. • The United Nations troops drove the North Koreans back past the 38th parallel.
- 21. • Due to the victory at Inchon, The goal of saving South Korea had been achieved • The US/UN decided to continue into North Korea to try and unite the country. • This greatly concerned the Chinese, who worried that the UN forces might not stop with North Korea and might continue into China. • Many in the west, including General MacArthur, thought that spreading the war to China was a good idea. • Truman and the other leaders disagreed. • MacArthur was ordered to be very cautious when approaching the Chinese border. • Eventually, MacArthur disregarded these concerns.
- 22. China Retaliates • The Communist Chinese said they would react if the UN forces encroached upon the border at the Yalu River. • Mao wanted Soviet help and saw intervention as defensive: "If we allow the U.S. to occupy all of Korea… we must be prepared for the US to declare… war with China", he told Stalin. • Mao’s forces invaded North Korea on October 19th . • Soviet assistance was limited to providing air support for the Chinese. • The Soviet role was known to the U.S. but they kept quiet to avoid any international and potential nuclear incidents.
- 23. Yalu River
- 24. • 380,000 Chinese troops pushed the United Nation troops back to the 38th parallel, the pre- conflict border. • The Chinese assault caught U.S. troops by surprise, as war between China and the United States had not been declared. • On January 4, 1951, Communist Chinese and North Korean forces re-captured Seoul. • Due to the tough situation, MacArthur mentioned that atomic weapons might be used, much to the alarm of America's allies. • In March, 1951, UN Forces succeeded in repelling the North Korean and Chinese troops from Seoul.
- 25. MacArthur Removed • MacArthur was removed from command by President Truman on April 11, 1951. • Why? • MacArthur was succeeded by General Matthew Ridgeway. • He was able to slowly drive back the enemy to the 38th parallel.
- 27. • The rest of the war involved little territory change and lengthy peace negotiations. • Even during the peace negotiations combat continued. • For the South Korean and allied forces the goal was to recapture all of what had been South Korea. • Eventually a cease-fire was established on July 27th, 1953 near the 38th parallel.
- 28. • A demilitarized zone (DMZ) was established around it, which is still defended today by North Korean troops on one side and South Korean and American troops on the other. • Newly-elected U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower fulfilled a campaign promise by going to Korea to find out what could be done to end the conflict. • No peace treaty has been signed to date.
- 32. Results/Outcomes/Casualties • The Korean War was the first armed confrontation of the Cold War, and it set a model for many later conflicts. • It created the idea of a limited war, where the two superpowers would/could fight without using nuclear weapons. • It also expanded the Cold War, which to that point had mostly been concerned with Europe. • The total number of deaths, including all civilians and military soldiers from UN Nations and China, was about 2,000,000. • US had 54,000 deaths.
- 33. • More than 80% of the industrial and public facilities and transportation networks, three-quarters of the government offices, and one-half of the houses were destroyed. • Pyongyang (the capital of North Korea) was bombarded with more than one thousand bombs per square kilometer. • When the armistice was settled, there were only two buildings left in the city where 400,000 people had lived. • The war left the peninsula permanently divided with a pro-Soviet, Communist party led state in North Korea and a pro-American capitalist one in the South. • American troops(28,500) remain on the border today, as do a large number of Koreans. It is the most heavily defended border in the world.
- 34. North Korea vs South Korea • Korea Split • Korean Conflict(War) • Communism vs. Democracy • Economic and Social Comparisons(graph)
- 35. North Korean Leaders • Kim Il Sung • Ruled 1948-1994
- 36. • Kim Jong il • Ruled 1994-2011
- 37. • Kim Jong-un • Took office in 2011 after dad died • Nuclear aggressiveness • “Deadly Nuclear Catastrophe” with US-January 2014 • Killed his uncle in December 2013
- 38. North Korea Nuclear Timeline • In 1993(and reiterated in 2003), North Korea announced its withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty • In 1994, US and NK sign deal where US would help build two nuclear power reactors in NK • In 2002, President Bush charges that NK, Iraq and Iran are an “Axis of Evil” • In 2002, NK admits to having a nuclear weapons program and nullifies 1994 deal
- 39. • In 2003, the Six Party Talks start(US, SK, NK, China, Russia, Japan) • In 2005, NK agrees to halt nuclear weapon program in exchange for security and economic and trade benefits • Shortly thereafter, NK backs out of the deal
- 40. • In 2006, North Korea announced it had successfully conducted its first nuclear test(underground) • Later in 2006, NK agrees to resume talks with the Six Party Talks • In 2007, a new deal is reaches in which NK would halt production of nuclear weapons in exchange for $400 million of fuel and aid • In 2008, NK destroys it’s biggest nuclear weapons plant
- 41. • In 2008, NK complains that President Bush still had not removed NK from a list of “states that support terrorism”. Bush does so the next month. • In April, 2009, NK launches a rocket which NK says is for testing space satellite technology. Most countries don’t buy explanation. • In May, 2009, North Korea conducted it’s second nuclear test(underground) • In June, 2009, the United Nations put tougher economic sanctions on NK
- 42. • In February, 2013, North Korea conducted it’s third nuclear test(underground) • In March, 2013, the United Nation put tougher sanctions on NK • Current Six Party Talks negotiations • In February, 2014, The United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights publishes a report on widespread human rights abuses in North Korea. • Dennis Rodman’s Basketball Diplomacy-2014 • Kim Jing-Un Missing-Not! • Kenneth Bae Released-November 2014
- 43. •December 19, 2014 - The FBI says it has concluded the North Korean government is responsible for a cyberattack on Sony Pictures. – In November, hackers broke into Sony's servers, published private emails and information and threatened to attack movie theaters screening "The Interview," a comedy film about an assassination plot on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. •April 23, 2015 – China says that North Korea is expanding nuclear weapons arsenal(20 to 40 in the next year).