4.2: Korea and Vietnam

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• Middelbare school
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• Leerjaar 3

The Time of Television and Computers

4.2  The effects of the Cold war in Korea 

What was last lesson about?

What is this lesson about?

North Korea is a country we do not know much about. Its people live under the control of the government and tourists are rarely allowed to visit this isolated nation. In this lesson, you will learn about the Korean War, the history of North Korea, what part it played in the Cold War, and how it has become cut off from the rest of the world.

How did this war come about? Why did the USA participate and what were the consequences of this war?

People in this lesson:

Kim Il sung

leader

North Korea

Harry S. Truman

president

USA

Jozef Stalin

leader

USSR

Mao Zendong

leader

Communist China

People in this lesson:

Kim il sung

leader

North Korea

Harry S. Truman

president

USA

Jozef Stalin

leader

USSR

Mao Zedong

leader

Communist China

Important dates in this lesson:

1945: Korea is split into temporary North (USSR) and South (US)

1947: Start of the Cold War (Truman doctrine)

1948: North and South Korea become two separate countries

1950: start Korean War (invasion South Korea)

1953: end of the Korean War (Korean Armistice Agreement)

A divided Korea

In August 1945, Japan surrendered and so World War II ended in the Pacific. Korea, which had been under control of Japan, was turned over to the Allied forces. Just like Germany (Berlin) had been divided, Korea was split: the Soviet Union would administer North Korea and the USA would administer South Korea. This division was supposed to be temporary and free elections within two years to reunite the country, were promised.

However, in 1948, Communist Kim il-sung convinced the Soviet government not to allow United Nation authorities north of the dividing line, the 38th parallel. As a result, elections never took place in North Korea. At the end of 1948, two new countries were officially established: the Republic of Korea in the South with a democratically elected president and the Democratic Republic of Korea in the North, led by Kim il-sung.

1. Why would the Soviet Union agree with
Kim il-sung to not let free elections take place in North Korea?

The Korean War

Many people became separated from their relatives and friends due to the border between South and North Korea.

The division of Korea did not sit well with Kim il-sung; he wanted to reunite the country by force. So in June 1950, his soldiers invaded South Korea. The USA, fearing the Domino effect, intervened. With eye on Truman's Containment policy, the USA had to make this decision to protect South Korea against this communist attack.  A United Nation force, led by the USA, came to South Korea’s aid. This started the Korean War. The North Korean army quickly captured South Korea’s capital Seoul, but were soon forced back by the UN army. The UN forces pushed on, almost reaching the Chinese border, but had to retreat when the Chinese army led by Mao Zedong invaded to aid North Korea. 

North Korean war poster, c. 1951.

The Korean War

Many people became separated from their relatives and friends due to the border between South and North Korea.

The division of Korea did not sit well with Kim il-sung; he wanted to reunite the country by force. So in June 1950, his soldiers invaded South Korea. The USA, fearing the Domino effect, intervened. With eye on Truman's Containment policy, the USA had to make this decision to protect South Korea against this communist attack.  A United Nation force, led by the USA, came to South Korea’s aid. This started the Korean War. The North Korean army quickly captured South Korea’s capital Seoul, but were soon forced back by the UN army. The UN forces pushed on, almost reaching the Chinese border, but had to retreat when the Chinese army led by Mao Zedong invaded to aid North Korea. 

The Korean War

For the next two years, the war became a bloody stalemate, with neither side getting close to victory. The USA started bombing North Korea and destroyed almost all buildings and infrastructure. North Korea reacted by installing substantial buildings such as schools and hospitals underground.

In 1951, talks about a truce started and in July 1953 the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed: this formalised the re-establishment of North and South Korea along the 38th parallel with a demilitarised zone of two kilometres in each direction. North and South Korea have never signed a peace treaty, so the situation remained as it is to this day, an armistice.

2a. The UN forces were only made up of American soldiers.

1. true
2. false

2b. The UN forces were driven back by the Chinese army.

1. true
2. false

2c. The war was eventually won by the USA and UN.

1. true
2. false

North Korea becomes a totalitarian state.

After the Korean War, Kim Il-sung became leader of North Korea. He turned North Korea into a totalitarian state and ruled as a dictator. Kim Il-sung built a communist society, modelled on Stalin’s Soviet Union, with a strong focus on military build-up and heavy industry, especially mining. Furthermore, Kim Il-sung seized control of all private property and organisations. From then on, everyone’s possessions belonged to the state. The state also took control of the media and restricted international travel. The city of Pyongyang was transformed into a socialist capital and numerous monuments of Kim Il-sung were made as part of his cult of personality and to secure the obedience of the North Korean people.

Troops march past a portrait of the late leader Kim Jong Il during a military parade to mark the 65th anniversary of the country's founding, Sept 9, 2013.

3a. North Korea is a totalitarian state.
What does that mean?

1. a dictatorial state in which one person has total control
2. a state with a central government that is elected by the people
3. a state that is dictatorial and rules and controls every part of peoples' lives
4. a state with a communist government and a planned economy

3b. North and South Korea are still enemies today.
What threat is coming from North Korea these days?

1. North Korea is testing long distance nuclear missiles
2. North Korea boycots trade with America and Europe
3. North Korea threatens to invade South Korea
4. North Korea threatens to kill president Trump

Effects of the war visable to this day:

- The Kim-dynasty is still alive (Kim Jong-un)

- North Korea is still a totalitarian state 

- Alliance between Russia and North Korea

- Distrust between the USA and North Korea

Let's have a look if you understand:

Let's have a look if you understand:

USSR

USA

1948

Democratic

communist

Kim il sung

at the 38th parralel

1950

domino

UN

USA

South korea

Korean War

china

armitrice

1953

Kim il sung