The Cold War (Korean War- Hungarian Uprising)

The Cold War (Korean War- Hungarian Uprising)

1. North South divided

   • End of WWII Korea was freed from Japanese control.
   • North- Occupied by Soviet
     • South- Occupied by Americans
   • Agreed that
     • Korea will unite into one
       • 2/3 of the population of Korea lived in the south so they felt communist north would be outvoted.
       • By 1948, there were two independent stated divided by the 38th Parallel
     • Free elections
   • Elections held in South- anti-communist government led by Syngman Rhee with Soeu; as its capital.
   • Communist North under Kim Il Sung with Pyongyang as its capital
     • Soviet and American troops left in 1949, but North was still supported by USSR and South by USA
   • 1949- victory of communist Mao Zedong in 1949 China
     • North Korea had border with another com. state
       • Koreans unsatisfied by divide, both leaders claimed to be ruler of the whole country
   • Stalin encouraged North and supplied tanks and planes and Chinese urged them too
     • Claimed to be protecting themselves because South had crossed the 38th Parallel

2. North Korean Advance

   • 1950- North attacked the South and quickly crossed the 38th and captured Seoul
     • Occupied all of South except south east corner- Pusan pocket
       • Problem for Truman and Americans
         • China- communist
         • USSR- tested atom bomb in 1949
         • It was soon after Berlin Blockade- thought USSR's plan to spread Communism throughout the world
           • Have to resist the spread= the Truman doctrine and its policy on containment.
   • Americans referred to Security council of UN
     • Began to move troops from Japan to Korea before decision
     • Security Council told North to withdraw, said no
       • North was an aggressor called on all states to send help
         • USSR could've used veto but wouldn't attend UN because newly communist China hadn't been accepted.

3. UN Intervention

   • UN army made up of contributions from 16 nations was sent to Korea
     • Led by American General MacArthur
       • Most were Americans because of the Doctorine
   • North surprised by American marines who landed in Inchon and cut off their supplies
   • Truman went beyond containment- with UN backing invaded North= Pyongyang and 2/3 of the country and soon reached Yalu River- border with communist China

4. Final advances of the War

   • China concerned with American advance
     • About 250,000 Chinese troops, described as volunteers, entered Korea
       • Too many for UN- recaptured Seoul by January 1951
         • MacArthur wanted all-out attack on China using an atomic bomb
           • Truman thought war would break out so he dismissed Arthur and stuck to the cointainment
   • By June 1951- UN drove communists out of South and defended frontiers
   • Peace talks began in 1951- very little fighting for the next 2yrs. 1953- frontier remains on 38th Parallel
   • War costly for Korea- country devastated by fighting
     • About 4mill soldiers and civilians killed and 5mill became homeless
     • American lost around 50,000
     • Other UN- 17,000
     • Chinese- 900,000 casualties

5. Importance of the War

   • Extended Cold War to Far East. China helped communist rebels in Indo-China (Vietnam) against France
   • Indicated Truman prepared to stick to Doctrine and principle of containing Communism
   • Superpowers didn't to turn it into a hot war : Soviets weren't directly involved. Americans agreed with MacArthur but Truman didn't want to spread the war
   • Emergence of communist China as a world power. Became friendly with USSR
   • UN against act of aggression- seen as a capitalist tool by communists
   • USSR not directly involved but supplied weapons
   • Korea still divided- looked permanent.

6. The Thaw

   • Death of Hitler in 1953 led to new direction in Soviet foreign policy.
     • Willing to negotiate as both sides had H bomb. America thought Stalin was the cause of the Cold War
       • First seen when USSR helped end the Korean War
       • 1955 agreed to sign Austrian State Treaty- end occupation of Austria since 1945- restored to 1937 frontiers
   • New Soviet leadership first a coalation but then was led by Khrushchev
     • Keen in making a fresh start with the West
       • Used the words "peaceful co-existence" in 1956
       • Visited Britain and USA
     • Summit Conference held in Geneva in 1955- first since 1945
       • USA, China, Britain, France and USSR
       • Little decided. Turning point in Cold War though

7. Warsaw Pact

   • In 1955 West Germany joined Nato
     • Revived Soviet concern about re-emergence of Germany of Germany led to formation of Warsaw Pact
   • Military Alliance for mutual defence with USSR, Poland, Czech, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, East Germany and Albania
     • Part of pact- countries still believed in collective security of nations
     • Called Treaty of Friendship , Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between the signed countries
   • All troops led by Soviet commander in chief
     • Permitted Soviet troops to be stationed in the countries as defence
       • Part of USSR's way of keeping countries under control and troops would be used to stop satellite states from leaving
   • Seen as a response to NATO
     • Khrushchev wanted to ensure safety of communist states that surrounded Soviet Russia and USSR as their leader
       • Went to Yugoslavia to resume friendly relations with President Tito
     • If there was a war- all countries in Warsaw Pact vs NATO

8. How peaceful peaceful co-existence was

   • Khrushchev made secret speech denouncing Stalin's brutality and stressing need for peace in February 1956
     • Change in Soviet policy didn't stop USSR violently crushing challenges to Soviet control over communist Europe
   • Didn't put an end to crises between the superpowers, which continued the Cold War- Rivalry widened into space with development of spacecraft and implications that it had security

9. Hungarian Uprising: Background

   • Hungary- treated like a defeated country by Soviets after WW2 and reparations were taken from it.
   • With USSR's help, communist government under Rakosi was set up that followed Soviet's rules and oppositions were eliminated.
   • When Stalin died, Rakosi replaced by more moderate Imre Nagy
     • 1955- Rakosi seized power again
   • After June 1956 where Rakosi accepted a change of leader in Poland after riots and after he condemned Stalin, Hungarians were encouraged to protest against Rakosi
     • Hated AVH (secret police) who executed 2,000 opponents and over 200,000 imprisoned
     • Falling standard of living
     • Increase in poverty
   • End Soviet domination and improve relations with the West
     • Improved economy+ living

10. Hungarian Rising: Events

    • October- riots in Budapest
    • Street fighting lasted for five days, Stalin's statue dragged down the streets
    • Prisoners freed
    • Only AVH remained loyal but were hung by rebels
    • Rakosi forced to resign and Soviet tanks moved in
    • Nagy became PM and Soviets withdrew
      • Appeared as if USSR had been defeated by one of its own satellites
    • New Hungarian gov began reforms
      • Free elections
        • End of Communism
      • End of secret police and no Soviet army occupation
      • Withdrawal from Warsaw Pact and neutral role in Cold War
        • Gap in Iron Curtain and Soviet buffer zone with the West will be broken

11. Soviet Control

    • Soviet troops re-entered Hungary on 1 Nov
    • Reached Budapest on 4 Nov
    • Over 1,000 tanks came to crush the rising
    • Nagy appealed to West but no help came
    • Soviet seized radio station and no organised defence after 4 Nov
    • 2 weeks of street fight followed
      • Pro-soviet comm. gov under Kadar set up
      • Nagy captured- promised free passage out of Hungary- shot