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Soviet successful testing of the Atomic Bomb
Destroyed the US's atomic monopoly, weakening a major military and diplomatic asset to the US as it was because of the Atomic bomb that the US dared to stand up against the USSR. Instilled fear in the US which made them more inclined to react to the Communist threat in South Korea, as expansionism was feared - Cold War calculations. This shows that the Korean War was a Cold War conflict. -
The Fall of China to Communism
On this day, the Kuomintang (KMT) was defeated and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was in control of a newly-Communist China. This was significant as it instilled fears in the United States (US) of Communism beginning to spread in Asia (the Domino Theory) as he felt that the Soviet Union had a part to play in China's fall and would want to take over more countries in Asia. The Soviet Union had no actual part to play in this but were eager to establish ties with China. Cold War conflict. -
Dean Acheson's defence perimeter speech
It omitted South Korea from the list of countries the US would automatically defend, and gave North Korea and Kim Il Sung the impression that it would be easy to take over South Korea. -
Stalin agrees to Kim Il Sung's invasion plans
(Sorry i don't really know which day it was!) This gives Stalin responsibility as Kim had been asking him for permission to invade South Korea for some time, and his agreement here was the reason Kim invaded and began the conflict. This was due to the USSR's confidence, built by the fall of China and it's new atomic capabilities. -
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Stalin sends military supplies and advisers to North Korea
This shows the USSR as having responsibility in the conflict, as they helped to sustain and create the conditions for the conflict to occur. However, he later withdrew the military advisers and recalled the military supplies once the conflict began, showing a lessening of responsibility. -
US sponsored a resolution in the UNSC for military action against North Korea
Shows responsibility of the US in the Korean War as it was the one who had sparked a major conflict with it's entry into Korea. -
American troops stationed in Japan into Korea
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China enters the conflict
Due to the US's Macarthur continuing the offensive in Korea and advancing towards China, he provoked the Chinese into entering the conflict and causing it to be expanded. This shows that responsibility for developing the conflict into what it is lies with the US, for involving China. -
General Macarthur relieved
As General Macarthur did not want to fight a limited war, President Truman relieved him of his post, showing his committment to fighting a limited war. This shows that it was a Cold War conflict, as the nature of a Cold War conflict is that it is limited. -
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Peace talks
The peace talks dragged on for 2 years because of the of the Prisoners-of-War issue, which shows that it was a Cold War conflict as the issue of competing ideologies was prominent as seen through this insstance. -
Syngman Rhee orders release of prisoners
Syngman Rhee ordered the release of 27000 POWs under his control, hoping to damage the peace talks and prolong the war. Damaged the talks significantly but not fatally, and seen as afailure at manipulating the major powers. Operation Everready developed by US to keep SK in line. Shows that the KW could be seen as minors manipulating majors.
