Korean War (1950-1953)
Name?
Korean War
Japanese Occupation of the Korean Peninsula
(1910 - 1945)
World War 2 (1939 - 1945)
38th Parallel:
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North - the Soviet’s occupation
South - the US’s occupation
June 25, 1950: North initiated the War
Kim, Il Sung vs. Lee, Syngman
Ph.D from Princeton University
Nationalist & Conservative
Kim Il-Sung
Worked for Korea’s independence in US (Pro-US)
1st president of South Korea
Christian background
Battalion Commander, 88th Brigade; (CPT) of the
Soviet Red Army During WW2
Was appointed by Stalin (A.K.A Godfather)
Chairman of the Central Committee
of the Workers' Party of North Korea
Syngman Rhee
Causes of the Korean War?
Stimulus-Response Theory
The Soviet Union vs. the US
Balance of Power
The Soviet Union vs. China
Economy Theory
Economic Downturn led the War!
Individual Aggressiveness
both Ilsung Kim and Syngman Rhee were dictators
South Korea and North Korea both believed the use of force was inevitable for
unification. Reconciliation was not considered.
power-oriented people, domineering personality: advocate the use of military force
Realist Theory of War I
Proxy War: Powerful states felt responsible to keep balance of power and leaders
held national role conceptions
Strategic Value: US Secretary of State Acheson’s speech
Expected Utility Theory: swings in military superiority
Realist Theory of War II
Status Quo: USSR, China were expansionist states
Power Transition Theory: shift in power in favor of
revisionist state
Geography & Ideology
Communism v. Capitalism
Hegemonic War: dominant power v. rising challenger
psychohistorical in Korean War?
Syngman Rhee- Extreme anti-communism
- Self-righteousness
- high esteem of his belief
ex) use of force for unifying Koreas
Kim Il Sung- opposite of Syngman Rhee’s belief
-radical communism
- high esteem of his anticipation
ex) early phase in Korean war
Misperception?
Declaration of Acheson Line by United States in
1950
-Opportunity for North Korea could invade South Korea
following year
-At the same time, North Korea didn’t anticipate US
involvement in Korea peninsula
China’s involvement in 1950s
-
Truman administration’s false assessment
of PRC’s capability
Kim Il Sung’s anticipation for Korean War
Balance of Power?
38th parallel became clear division line between
two Koreas.
Armistice signed in 1953 by UN, PRC, DPRK.