James Stewart How far do you agree that the outbreak of a major conflict in Korea in 1950 was caused by Communist aggression? The Korean War broke out in 1950 whilst Harry Truman was at the head of the American Federal Government. There were many reasons for the outbreak such as the ambiguity of the US’ foreign policy, America’s anti-Communistic mind-set, intervention from Communist China and most importantly Communist aggression orchestrated by North Korea itself and its leader, Kim Il Sung. The most significant factor of the 1950 conflict in Korea breaking out was Communist aggression in particular from the North Koreans themselves, but also Joseph Stalin and his USSR. One example of Communist aggression by North Korea, was the act of actually invading South Korea unprovoked which subsequently prompted the reaction from the United Nations and the US in particular.
In China, the United States spent very large amounts of money supporting the nationals against communist leader Mao Zedong, an effort that failed. In 1949, the People’s Republic of China, a communist nation, was established. April of 1975 was another Southeast Asian failure, when the communists under leader Ho Chi Minh took over Vietnam and re-created a communist state. Over the course of those thirty years after WWII, The United States tried its hardest to contain communism. We joined forces with other nations in that effort, an effort that was mostly successful in Europe.
While the United States was nervous of Communism consuming the entire globe. President Eisenhower believed in the “domino effect”, meaning that if you fight and succeed in stopping communism in one country others are sure to rise, stand and follow suit. China became a communist country in 1949, therefore, the United States forked out 2 billion dollars to support anti-communism. The Truman Doctrine was written and put in to effect stating that the United States would do any and everything in its power to put an end to communism spreading to any further country. Following a victory over a battle with the French, North Vietnam in 1954, set ways into communism and in turn proceeded to try and reign over the now divided Southern Vietnam.
1 The USA was deeply hostile towards the Soviet Union and fearing a spread of communism, adopted a policy of containment. 4 In Vietnam the target of containment was Ho Chi Minh and the Vietminh front he had created in 1941. Ho and his chief lieutenants were communists with long-standing connections to the Soviet Union. 5 Hoping to halt a takeover by the communist North Vietnamese (led by Ho Chi Minh) 6, US officials chose to support the anti-Communist prime minister of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem1,. As opposed to the other superpower, America got directly involved, sending not only financial aid1 but actively participating in the military effort.
What changed the balance of power in the Cold War in August 1949? Mao established the People's Republic of China – Communist and Soviet got their first atomic bomb 3. What was the initial US attitude towards the fall of China to Communism? After the Communist party gained control of China, the American public was outraged. Truman's policy of containment (containing communism and not letting it spread to any more countries) had failed.
In conclusion the Cold War was caused by U.S. fear of the spread of communism and other events. The United States means of control was to contain communism at all cost. Many treaties were put in place to protect the two superpowers. The Soviet Union tried to influence other nations with communism and the United States tried with democracy. This battle of the superpowers lasted for fifty years.
As it resulted with MacArthur being relived from duty due to the arguing between him and Truman. MacArthur wanted to attack the Chinese with Atomic Bombs but Truman denied his proposal. The problem for Truman was that he was very popular in America and it was a very emotional return to America for his speech. Why does the term balance of terror effectively describe the Cold War during the 1950s? The focus after the Korean war was the nuclear arms race and to stop the spread of communism mainly.
The ANZUS Treaty was signed by Australia, New Zealand and the United States in 1951, during the Korean War. This treaty was formed due to the fear of communist expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. The ANZUS Treaty benefited Australia as it bound each of the three powers to assist each other in the event of an attack. In 1954, the SEATO treaty was signed to develop a ‘collective defence’ as large poverty-stricken populations were rising up to become communists, supported by China. To Australia, this treaty was to combat communism alongside the US.
Korean War After World War II, the United States reached an agreement with the Soviet Union to have a divided Korea, with the United States also agreeing to stay south of the 38th Parallel. In June of 1950, North Korea breached the 38th Parallel, prompting the United States to retaliate with support of South Korea, using sea and air units to help defend the country against the communistic government of North Korea. Communism was feared by both the South Koreans and the United States as it looked to oppress the freedoms of its peoples ("Cold War", 2011). Due to the rising fear of communism, President Truman enacted the Truman Doctrine. This eventually led to the Containment Policies via the newly established North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
There were many different wars throughout the history and the United States has been involved in many different wars with different objectives and results. During the second half of the twentieth century, when Vietnam War happened, U.S. was involved in effort to stop communism from spreading as it did when Korean War started. The United States was part of the United Nations, and when North Koreans attacked the South Koreans threatening to take over south so they can be under the same law of communism, the United Nation as a whole decided to send military aid to South Korea, and of which the United States supplied a large portion. The South Korea was able to win against the North Korea with the help from the United States and United Nations.