- Who:
- North
Korea (supported by China and the Soviet Union)
- South
Korea (supported by the United States and United Nations forces)
- What:
- A
conflict between communist North Korea and non-communist South Korea.
- Involved
major international intervention and led to significant military and
civilian casualties.
- When:
- Began
on June 25, 1950
- Armistice
signed on July 27, 1953
- Where:
- Korean
Peninsula (North and South Korea)
- Why:
- Rooted
in the division of Korea after World War II, with ideological conflict
between communism and democracy.
- North
Korea aimed to unify the peninsula under communist rule.
- How
the War Impacted History:
- Solidified
the division of Korea, leading to the continued existence of North and
South Korea as separate entities.
- Increased
Cold War tensions and military alliances, shaping U.S. and Soviet foreign
policies.
- Contributed to significant civilian suffering and set the stage for future conflicts in the region.THE BIG IDEA: The Korean War was both a civil war and a proxy war (between the United States and her allies vs. the USSR and People’s Republic of China). It was an extension of the Truman Doctrine, which sought to contain the global spread of Communism.
Pages to study: pg. 43 – 44 of The Making of the 20th Century World 1940s – 1991 (Unit 2). Focus on these areas: Post-war occupation, partition of Korea, border clashes, emergence of communist China, expansion of a communist bloc, Sino–Soviet Alliance, Outbreak of the Korean War, role of key players in the conflict, The Korean Armistice Agreement and the immediate aftermath o Demilitarised zone, impact on US policy in Asia, escalation of tension between NATO and Warsaw Pact
References: ChatGPT, Wikipedia, The Making of the 20th Century World 1940s – 1991 co-authored by Ben Walsh (Hodder Education) and 2261 Syllabus Document https://www.seab.gov.sg/docs/default-source/national-examinations/syllabus/olevel/2024syllabus/2261_y24_sy.pdf