Topic 1 - Establishing Communist Rule - The Korean War

Question 1

What was the background with Korea pre WW2 and post WW2?

Answer 1

Korea was a Japanese colony pre WW2 - it was then divided between the USSR and the US post WW2 - led to installing of NK and SK govs

Question 2

What prompted the North’s invasion of the South?

Answer 2

Soviets greatly supported the North with military supplies and would push them to invade the South

Question 3

When did the invasion of Korea begin?

Answer 3

Oct 1950 when ROK (SK) forces were pushed back to Busan

Question 4

When did the UN Sec Council recommend assistance to the ROK?

Answer 4

June 1950

Question 5

When did Truman receive Congressional approval for military action?

Answer 5

August 1950

Question 6

What was the impact of US involvement by the end of 1950?

Answer 6

By the end of 1950 DPRK forces had been pushed back to the Chinese border

Question 7

When did Chinese leaders first discuss intervention with the Korean War?

Answer 7

Mao and Zhou Enlai first discussed intervention in the conflict in July 1950

Question 8

When did Mao want Chinese troops ready for action?

Answer 8

August 1950

Question 9

Who did Mao appoint in charge of the Chinese Expeditionary Force?

Answer 9

Peng Dehuai

Question 10

What campaign did Mao sacrifice to invade Korea?

Answer 10

Korean forces were sent North from Taiwan after abandoning the upcoming invasion

Question 11

What was Mao’s quote in October 1950?

Answer 11

In October 1950 Mao ordered that the PLA “resist the attacks of US imperialism”

Question 12

How many troops did the PLA send when they initially invaded and what was the result

Answer 12

250,000 PLA troops pushed the UN forces back to the 38th parallel by April 1951

Question 13

What direct support did the Soviets contribute to the effort?

Answer 13

Nothing - the war effort was stalled due to a lack of air support as Stalin refused to provide Soviet planes before the Chinese invaded

Question 14

How many fatalities did the PLA suffer

Answer 14

PLA would ultimately suffer 400,000 military fatalities (Mao’s son also killed)

Question 15

How much of China’s earnings was spent on the conflict?

Answer 15

Roughly 1/3 of Chinese gov annual earnings spent on the conflict – totalling to about 10 billion RMB

Question 16

How was the war used at home by Mao?

Answer 16

Conflict very important at home in China - mass meetings formed around denouncing the US and SK - its would also unite the nation after years of brutal civil war and division

Question 17

What was the name of the campaign organised around the conflict and what did it do?

Answer 17

The ‘Resist America, Aid Korea’ campaign was started to drum up support for the conflict and subtly purge enemies of Mao

Question 18

How many counter-revolutionary and official executions were there in the first half of 1951?

Answer 18

• 2.5 million counterrevolutionary executions
• 135,000 official executions

Question 19

What was the war’s impact on propaganda and the CCP’s leadership?

Answer 19

The war saw anti-capitalist propaganda being spread country wide and was used to further show the CCP’s effective leadership

Question 20

What happened to nationalist feelings during the war?

Answer 20

During the war there was increased national unity

Question 21

What was the impact of Western involvement on attitudes in China?

Answer 21

American involvement in the Korean War made people remember Western colonialism in China and its horrors before and during the Civil War

Question 22

What was the impact of the war on China’s international reputation?

Answer 22

China’s international reputation was increased as it pushed back America during the war

Question 23

What was the impact of the war on the CCP’s control?

Answer 23

The ‘Resist America, Aid Korea’ campaign allowed to CCP to gain more control of the business sector and suppress more of Mao’s political opponents