The document provides background information on the Korean War and the UN's involvement. It describes the key stages of the war, from North Korea's initial invasion of South Korea, to the UN's reaction in calling for forces to be used to push North Korea back, to the drawn out battles along the 38th parallel border. It discusses debates around how successful the UN was, with arguments that it was largely a puppet of the US but also that it acted quickly to prevent the fall of South Korea.

1. Option B : Key Question 5
How effectively did the USA
contain the spread of
communism?

9. Why did the USA and the UN get involved
in Korea?
• China had fallen to communism in 1953 –
fear of growing Red influence in the east.In line
with Truman’s policy of containment –
Marshall Aid in Europe…and beyondBecause
the USSR had boycotted the UN – it had an
opportunity to act without fear of the veto.To
ensure democracy remained in South
Korea – the North had invaded after all

10. Stage 1: Background
• Founded on the proud cultures of the Qing dynasty ,
Korea was ruled by Japan from 1896 after years of
war. After Japan was defeated in WW2, Korea
gained independence again. However, Soviet forces
occupied the North, and US forces the South.
• To avoid confict, it was decided at Potsdam that the
country would be divided at the 38th parallel.
• Elections were held in each half of the country; in
the North the Communist Kim Il Sung came to
power, and in the Souththe nationalist Syngman
Rhee.

11. Stage 2: Northern Invasion
• Seeking to unify Korea,, Kim il-Sung received
support from Communist China and the USSR
and invaded South Korea in June 1950.
• The South Koreans were pushed right back down
to Pusan.

12. Stage 3: UN Reaction
• The Security Coucil was immediately summoned and met the
same day as the invasion! The USSR was not present as they
were boycotting the UN for not recognizing Mao's government
in China. Therefore, there was no veto to block any US-led
initiative
• 9 out of 11 countries on the Security Council supported the US
motion that North Korea was acting illegally.
• In June 1950, America called on the United Nations to use
force to get rid of the North Koreans as they had ignored the
Security Council Once again this was passed owing to the
USSR's absence.
• The UN then drew up battle plans. Their forces would be
headed by an American - Douglas Macarthur; one of the most
famous generals of his time. This went down well with the US
public.

13. A cartoon from June 1950. Prst Truman and the United Nation are rushing
to take part in the Korean War in support of South Korea. Both are flying
over the grave of the League Of Nations

14. Stage 4: Battle
• In September 1950, United Nations troops landed at Inchon.
By doing this, they divided the North Korean army in two and
pushed them out of South Korea. MacArthur sought a quick
end to the war and pushed even further into the North. The
Chinese had no option but to defend their buffer zone and so
launched an invasion back in January 1951.
• By throwing men at the situation, the Chinese pushed the UN
forces back; their one advantage was their numbers!
• The Americans, under the UN, landed more troops. They used
bombers. The Chinese admitted to losing 390,000 men - UN
sources put the figure at up to a million Chinese and half a
million North Koreans dead. The Americans drove the
Chinese back, but lost 54,000 American soldiers dead doing
so. MacArthur reached the 38th parallel in March 1951.
• After an argument with President Truman, MacArthur was
sacked and the war became bogged down; neither side wanted
to lose more men.

15. Stage 5: Solutions
• In 1953, a ceasefire was agreed at the 38th parallel ...
where it had all begun.

17. What were the consequences of the Korean
War?
• Mixed results were had as a result of the war; on the one hand, the UN had
avoided becoming what the LON was, by taking quick action against North
Korea. The South had, after all, been protected.
• Nevertheless, it was obvious that this had happened by freak chance; The
USSR could easily have blocked it. In fact, the USSR had rejoined the UN in
order to block many more resolutions.
• To solve this issue ‘Uniting For Peace’ was introduced. This was a document
that claimed that if the Security Council vetoed any initiative that was
considered important for maintaining peace, the General Assembly should
take over to and have the vote. The USSR refused to listen to it though.
• So angry were the Soviet's with the UN's behaviour that they refused to
back the Secretary-General (Trygve Lie) who was forced to resign.
• Finally, it was obvious to the world that the United Nations was heavily
influenced by America – nearly 90% of all army personnel, 93% of all air
power and 86% of all naval power for the Korean War had come from
America.

18. How successful was the UN in Korea?
• Unsuccessful:
• Led by the USA for USA’s containment purposes – puppet90% of
all army personnel, 93% of all air power and 86% of all naval power
• $12bn from US alone
• It was Truman who fired MacArthur
• Accused of bias by USSR –didn’t agree on Uniting for Peace motion
• accused of acting too quickly
• Huge Korean (North and South ) casualtiesUS = c.35 000 battle deaths
• PVA (China)= 400 000
• N.Korea= 500 000
• Civilians = 2m
• Led to resignation of Trygve Lie. Showed the secretary-general could be
manipulated by USSR and USA
• Failed to give N.Korea free elections.They’re still waiting

19. • Successful:
• Acted very quicklyN.Korea attacked in June,
United Nations forces were in by July!
• Prevented fall of S.KoreaDivision at 38th
parallel was fair.

20. • Was the UN just a puppet of the USA during the Korean War? Yes: ·
90% of all army personnel, 93% o
• f all air power and 86% of all naval power was from the USA ·
$12bn from USA alone · It was Truman who fired MacArthur, not
Trygve Lie · There was no reason for the UNO to get involved in
N.Korea – the USSR argued it was a civil war and, as N.Korea were
not even permitted a seat in the UN General Assembly, they were
not within the UN’s remit. ·
• Acted incredibly fast – within a month – this seemed an indication
of US urgency. · Failed to hold elections immediately after WW2
No: · Trygve-Lie had to act quickly in order to show the UN was
not the LON · The North Koreans had attacked the S.Koreans—this
was a breach of peace
•

21. Montage of
pictures from
the Korean War

22. Fighting with the 2nd Inf. Div. north of the Chongchon
River, Sfc. Major Cleveland, weapons squad leader, points
out Communist-led North Korean position to his machine
gun crew. November 20,1950. Pfc. James Cox.

23. G.I. comforting a grieving infantryman
in Korean War. Photo by Sfc. Al Chang,
U.S. Army.

24. Map showing
the 38th
parralel [

25. 2. The Cuban Missile crisis
• The development of the Cold War
• Arms Race and Berlin Wall
• Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) - the term given to the idea that
because the two superpowers had equally powerful weapons, neither would
attack the other, for both would be destroyed if they did.
• 1945 – USA tests and drops the first atomic (A) bombs
• 1949 – USSR tests A bomb
• 1952 – USA tests its first hydrogen (H) bomb
• 1953 – USSR tests its first H bomb
• 1957 – Britain tests its first H bomb
• 1957 – USSR tests Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) capable of
carrying the H bomb from USSR to USA.
• 1958 – USA Places ICBMs targeted on USSR in NATO countries in Europe.
Both sides could now launch direct attacks on each others’ cities
• 1960 – USA launches first nuclear powered submarine capable of firing a
Polaris missile from underwater.

26. The detonation of 'Ivy Mike' H-Bomb by
the USA, 1952

27. The Berlin Wall
• Built by the USSR in 1961, E.Berlin to totally cut it off from the West and to stop
‘brain drain’ from East to West. (3m by 1961)
• The excuse was it was an ‘Anti-Fascist Protection Rampant’
• Initially wood and fencing, but then soon became concrete140km long.
Guarded by: guard dogs, guard towers, trenches to prevent vehicles
ramming the walls, open space in front of the walls (to see people coming)
• Mines were placed in the open space (known as ‘death strip’)
• Slippery pipes went along the top to stop climbers
• Final walls were up to 12ft high, laced with barbed wire or rows of nails
• Only one main entrance in and out: Checkpoint Charlie
• Knicknamed Schandmaur, the "Wall of Shame” by W. Germans
• Any ‘deserters’ could be shot on site. They were.
• It fell in 1991, over a miscommunication: Berliners were told they could go
on holiday… they took this as a sign they could destroy the wall. They took
to it with hammers.

28. East Berin, from the Berlin Wall, 1963

29. The Cuban Missile Crisis
• Background
• The first real test of this post-Stalin/Truman era came in Cuba in 1963 ruby fortune casino. The
Cuban Missile Crisis - as it came to be known - can be split into different sections, starting before
the 60s with the Cuban Revolution.
• First, it is important to understand that Cuba was Communist. Lying just 90km from the US, Cuba
had become Communist under Fidel Castro and ruby fortune live chat. Before him, General
Fulgencio Batista ruled as a dictator. He was very unpopular but had close relations with the United
States, who used Cuba as a playground for their rich and famous. Cheap casinos and big houses for
the US, but shortages and hardship for the locals.
• In 1953, Castro attempted to overthrow Batista by invading the army barracks with a small band of
men. He failed. Epic Failure. This was followed by an 18 month jail stint... and then another
attempt...and more failure.
• By 1959 his guerrilla tactics won out casino instant play and he toppled the government. He - along
with Che Gueverra - quickly unhooked Cuba's reliance on the USA by signing a sugar trade
agreement with the USSR, which gave him thousands of military supplies too.. He drew up plans to
nationalize all of the country, and evicted the rich Americans that lived there. America had a
Communist neighbour.

30. Bay of Pigs
• In 1959 Castro took control of Cuba
• The USA broke off diplomatic relations with
Cuba
• In August 1961, Kennedy supplied arms,
equipment and transport for 1400 antiCastro
Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow him
• The exiles landed at the Bay of Pigs. They were
met by 20 000 Cuban troops armed with tanks
• Castro killed or captured the exiles within days.
• Kennedy was seen as weak

31. A map of Cuba, including the Bay of
Pigs

32. The Cuban Missile Crisis
• Kennedy had been humiliated with the Bay of Pigs incident, but the heat was to be turned
up a notch in October 1962 when US U2 spy-planes photographed a shocking secret:
Nuclear bases were being built on Cuba.
• If that wasn't bad enough, Kennedy's advisers claimed they could be ready in 7 days, AND
U2 spy-planes saw 20 Soviet ships on their way to Cuba. Ruby Fortune has got over 415
unique video games including likes like Black jack, Roulette, Casino poker, Progressive
Goldmine Slots and, of course, an impressive collection of 4 and some Reel Spots. If
nothing was done, Cuba would be going nuclear.
• Kennedy quickly assembled his Security Council - which included his brother - and decided
on blockading Cuba. They would allow Soviet ships to come within a 800km radius of
Cuba, but no further. If they did come closer, nuclear war would erupt. Kennedy also sent a
letter to Khrushchev demanding the demolition of the nuclear bases (Letter 1)
• Khrushchev's response is to play for time. He tests Kennedy by ignoring the letter and the
blockade. Kennedy prepares to ready nuclear war until, at the last moment, Khrushchev
turns the ships round.
• Nevertheless, the sites in Cuba are till being built, whilst Khrushchev sends two letters
(Letters 2 and 3), firstly negotiating the missile situation and secondly ordering the
removal US bases in Turkey in exchange. After a US spy-plane is shot down over Cuba,
Kennedy is left embarressed. He decides to ignore Letter 3 and go with Letter 2. The
Turkish missiles remain but Khrushchev complies and the missile sites are removed.

33. The range of
proposed
missiles on
Cuba [source
public
domain:
Defense
Intelligence
Agency

34. Why did the USSR put missiles on Cuba?
• To get rid of USA’s missiles – if they had missiles on Cuba, then
they could get the USA to remove theirs from Turkey in exchange
• War – Khrushchev may have wanted to draw the US into a direct
war as they felt they had the upper hand in the arms race, and
needed an excuse to use them. They knew they could not go on
much longer spending on armaments like they did.
• To test the President – Kennedy was new to power (1961) and
was young. He had failed at Bay of Pigs. Khrushchev saw a chance to
win over hardliners in his own party.
• To defend Castro – Communists had to stand up for communists
and it was clear that the USA had attacked Cuba in 1961. This was
the chance to show solidarity.
• To achieve arms race superiority – Khrushchev was running
out of money and grew concerned about the missile gap between the
USSR and the USA. Having arms on Cuba would allow him the first
strike and breathing space.

35. Fidel Castro on a visit to Washington,
1959

36. 3. The Vietnam War
• The global Cold War: Vietnam
• Background
• The Cuban Missile Crisis had rocked the USA. Meanwhile however,
over on the other side of the world, in Vietnam, another epic
struggle was taking shape. The spotlight of the Cold War would
move to the Far East.
• Whilst Cuba had been the spotlight for some time, Vietnam had also
been given attention by the USA. After China became Communist
in 1953 the Domino Theory became part of Containment strategy
• Domino Theory: The belief that if one country fell to Communism,
others would quickly follow. Containment was needed to therefore
ensure Communism did not spread. This belief made the Cold War
global but ensured figting did not erupt within already-Communist
countries. First came to play under President Eisenhower and the
Korean War.

37. Vietnam: A Brief History
• Formerly an empire in the South East Asian region - under the Lê Dynasty
• Vietnam then suffered colonisation by the French in the 1800s.
• Although this was not popular, French rule continued until WW2 when Japan swept
through the region and took control of Vietnam.
• The Japanese were even more hated than the French and resistance - led by rebel leader Ho
Chi Minh's Viet Minh - helped flush out the Japanese.
• Nevertheless, the French returned after Germany was defeated, albeit in a weakened state.
• The French, though, were having huge domestic problems and were not the empire they
were before the war. They continued to fight Ho Chi Minh and set up a military branch
especially for this, but once China turned Communist (1953) Ho received even more
funding.
• The French were being beaten back and faced their last, humiliating defeat at Dien Bien
Phu where Ho Chi Minh triumphed.
• The Geneva Accords then decided a settlement, where the North (Ho Chi Minh) and South
(Ngo Dinh Diem) of Vietnam would be temporarily divided until elections the following
year.
• Fearful of the Domino Theory, the USA (under Eisenhower) started to back Diem and
elections never occured. Vietnam was the new Cold War arena.

38. Key moments of the Vietnam War
• Dien Bien Phu – General Giap led the Vietminh army to victory against
the French when he surrounded their forces and bombarded their position.
The French were pinned down and unable to get adequate supplies through
because the Vietminh had been supplied with anti-aircraft missiles, and
moved quickly through the jungle. Such was the embarrassment in France
that the government resigned!
• The Geneva Accords 1954 – this was the promise that there would be
free elections in Vietnam once order was restored and the French had left.
The country was temporarily divided into 2, with Diem holding the South
and Ho Chi Minh the North. The USA began to back Diem and blocked
elections.
• The Strategic Hamlet Program – this was an operation by joint US and
South Vietnamese forces to divide communist guerrillas from villagers. The
idea was to provide peasants with new housing, education and healthcare
which they would then appreciate and show loyalty toward the US. The
peasants though, hated being moved from their ancestral homelands –an
important part of Buddhism – and were never really given the promised
reforms

39. Key moments of the Vietnam War
• 1963 Assassination of Diem – the puppet of the US, and ruler of S.
Vietnam was killed off in a coup organized by the USA. Gulf of Tonkin
Incident and Resolution - this was the incident that gave Johnson the
excuse he needed to increase troops in Vietnam. US warships were
supposedly engaged in combat by N. Vietnamese ships, in S. Vietnamese
waters. This was seen as an act of war. Johnson therefore passed the Gulf of
Tonkin Resolution which promised assistance to any South East Asian
country under attack from Communists.
• Tet Offensive 1968 - The Tet Festival was an important Vietnamese
holiday, signaling the beginning of the year. On January 1968 VietCong
forces poured into Saigon and the surrounding countryside. Over 80 000
Communist troops stormed South Vietnam, catching the North Vietnamese
and USA by surprise. They took the US embassy in Saigon. The USA—under
General Westmoreland—soon regrouped and inflicted heavy casualties on
the North Vietnamese. Estimates vary from 10 000-37 000 were killed.
President Johnson began scaling back troop involvement as a result.

40. Key moments of the Vietnam War
• My Lai 1968 - In March 1968 ‘Charlie’ Company massacred a hamlet at Mai Lai, including
women and children. The event was only uncovered in 1969. Led by Lieutenant Barker
(overall command) with William Calley and Captain Medina (on the ground). After Tet
Offensive, Barker ordered Calley to eradicate all Vietcong—they went into Mai Lai, found
only villagers but rounded them up, abused, raped and killed them, before mass burying
them. Even animals were slaughtered. Only Officer Hugh Thompson and his crew
protested: he flew his helicopter between US troops and Vietnamese civilians, and helped
children out of the area. Between 300-500 civilians were murdered. The USA was horrified
and the press began to step-up anti-Vietnam sentiments. Only Calley was charged, and
even he was let off after 3 years.
• Nixon Doctrine – this was President Nixon’s way of scaling back and then ending
involvement in Vietnam. The idea was that the USA would begin to leave, and train up the
South Vietnamese in a process known as ‘Vietnamization’, whilst peace talks would go on.
• Operation Menu 1969 – this was the secret bombing of Cambodia and Laos by the USA
by President Nixon. It was aimed and ensuring Communism was contained only to
Vietnam, not the neighbouring countries.
• Easter Offensive 1972 – this was an enormous attack by the North Vietnamese and
Vietcong on the South. Initially it looked as though the South would fall until the USA
conducted a large bombing campaign known as Operation Linebacker.
• Paris Peace Accords 1972 – this was the ceasefire between the two sides. However it
didn’t last long; by 1975 Vietnam had totally become Communist.

41. Report of Army review into My Lai
incident, book 6, 14 March 1970

42. Why did the USA get involved in Vietnam?
• Fear of the Domino Effect / The French had Failed - Eisenhower had stepped in
in 1954 after Dien Bien Phu, to support the French because he feared losing
Vietnam would mean losing the whole of South East Asia; loss of markets for the
USA. China had turned Communist in 1949.
• Lyndon Johnson was a new President (1964) Kennedy had succeeded against
Khrushchev in Cuba, Johnson was seen as a ‘domestic’ President who wanted
reform at home but needed to show he was committed to fighting Communism
• To support the Vietnamese government The USA had pumped vast amounts of
money in Vietnam and could not afford to see it fall. Kennedy therefore upped the
amount of ‘advisors’ to 2300
• As a bargaining chip in the arms race In 1957 the USSR tested ICBMs capable
of carrying an the H bomb from USSR to USA; Vietnam could be used as a
valuable missile base in the future: a US Cuba.
• Gulf of Tonkin When N. Vietnamese patrol ships fired on US ships in the Gulf of
Tonkin in 1964, Johnson was furious. He passed the ‘Tonkin Gulf Resolution’
which allowed him to escalate Vietnam to a full-scale war—3500 marines in 1965

43. How was the war in Vietnam fought?
• Vietcong
• Guerrilla Tactics - (170 000 soldiers led by Ho Chi Minh.
Stuck close to the enemy to avoid heavy bombs, attacked
quickly and then disappeared into jungle. Indistinguishable
from normal peasants. Built underground bases with booby
traps. Terrorized any S.Vietnamese who helped Americans.
Had high casualties but stuck to this plan. ‘The people are the
water, we are the fish’)
• Traps (these were to be found around the jungle and in
hidden tunnels – built about 240km worth of tunnels!). Wore
down US morale.
• Funding from China and USSR - Ho Chi Minh received a
lot of money from his Communist allies, as well as equipment
and tactical advice

44. Civilians sort through the ruins of their
homes in Cholon in the Vietnam War.
Photo by Meyerson, Joel D.

45. USA
• Search and Destroy — tactics based on fast strikes on Viet Cong
villages, using helicopters and machine guns. Mai Lai is good
example. Westmoreland’s idea.
• Helicopters — 3,500 helicopters were used for transport and
aerial attack.
• Heavy Bombing - B52 bombers and ‘carpet bombs’ used. 1965
Operation Rolling Thunder: this was to bomb N. Vietnamese
factories and cities. More bombs were dropped on N.Vietnam than
on Germany and Japan in the entire Second World War.
• Chemical Weapons - Agent Orange was used. This was a highly
toxic weedkiller designed to get rid of the jungle. They used
82million litres of it!!
• Napalm – produced from jellied petrol – was used in
flamethrowers and bombs. It caused extensive and horrific burns.

46. Chinook's, similar to those used
extensively in the war in Vietnam

47. Vietnam War Protest
in Washington, D.C. by
Frank Wolfe, October
21, 1967 (NARA)

48. 4 How successful was the USA’s policy
of containment
• Successful
• Korea
• Cuba
• Kennedy had prevented missiles from being placed in Cuba – the
ships had turned roundKennedy had come out as a stronger
President; he had stood up to USSRWar was avoided, but the USSR
had been taught a lessonIt caused a thaw in cold war relations –
both sides realized they had almost caused nuclear war so a ‘hot-
link’ direct telephone line was set up between USA and USSR and a
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed then next yearThe USA was
now ahead in the arms race
• Vietnam
• Showed the USSR that the USA would get involved around the
globeFocused the struggle in an area far from the USAEnsured
USSR kept spending money on arms.

49. • Unsuccessful
• Korea
• Cuba
• Cuba remained Communist – Castro was still in power
and it was still in ‘Uncle Sam’s Backyard’Relations
between Cuba and America were still frosty
• The USA had to remove their missiles from Turkey—they
did this secretly though to avoid embarrassment
• Vietnam
• Created Domino Effect! - Laos and Cambodia both fell to
CommunismVietnam remained Communist and took
S.VietnamLost the ‘moral’ warLed to propaganda
disaster and a more isolationist approach

50. Kennedy and Khruschev at a meeting
in Vienn, 1963