Cast of the US comedy MASH set during the Korean War (195053).

Why do you think the US got involved in Korea?

Who or what was to

blame for the
extension of Cold
War to the Far
Aims
East?
To explain events which sparked
the war in Korea
To evaluate the historiographical
debate over the causes of the
Korean War

Reasons for US
involvement

Domino theory & Roll back

Unwilling to repeat experience of
Eastern Europe
Communist Peoples Republic of
China (1949)
Intervention from China & USSR
Red scare & McCarthyism (1950s)
Internal pressure - NSC-68

 Your task

Read p.63-4 of Phillips and find out

what sparked the Korean War in
1950.

Kim il Sung, North Korea

(1948-1994)

Syngman Rhee, South

Korea (1948-60)

Causes of Korean War

Debate over who made first

move: North claimed S Korean
troops seized N Korean town
of Haeju; South claimed it had
been invaded by North
Disputes over elections after
WWII UN committee
dominated by US
Characteristics of
governments in N & S Korea:
anti-communist leadership in
S Korea & v Democratic
Peoples Republic in N Korea
Withdrawal of US & USSR
troops after 1949: S Korea left
vulnerable

 Your task

Read pp.64-6 and note down the key ideas of

each historiographical viewpoint.
You have to make a pitch to the class to prove
that your view of the causes of the Korean War is
correct. Each group will take a different
historiographical view point. Use evidence from
your own knowledge to support your views, but
you cant use notes or textbooks.
Traditional / orthodox view
Revisionist view
Local factors approach
Domestic pressures on Truman

Traditional view

Responsibility of North view endorsed

by David Rees, Korea: Limited War
Truman intervene to protect Koreans
from Communist aggression
UN was used as a cover for US foreign
policy
US feared further Communist
expansion domino theory after
revolution in China, 1949

Revisionist view

Stalin was too cautious to prompt a war

in Korea view endorsed by Kathryn
Weathersby in Stalin, Kim il Sung &
the Prelude to War, Khrushchev's
memoirs & recent Russian historians
Stalin was a facilitator rather than
originator of war
Stalin wished to forestall an attack by
South

Local / international
factors

Local war which drew in

superpowers view endorsed by
Bruce Cumings, Origins of the
Korean War
US policy of containment escalated
civil war into Cold War
US, USSR & China used Korea to
play out international differences

Trumans foreign policy

Domestic political pressure

Truman acccused of being soft on
Communism
Red Scare & McCarthy witch hunt
gathering popular support in US in
early 1950s
Hawks in US administration put
pressure on Truman to act decisively

 Your task

Work in teams. Study sources O-R on p.67.

Identify what the authors interpretation of
the causes of Cold War.
What evidence would you use to support
this?
What evidence would you use to challenge
this?
Extension. Explain why you feel your
interpretation is the most accurate. Use your
own knowledge to write a conclusion. Try to
dismiss any counter-arguments as well.

What the sources say

Source O: No one and everyone was

responsible
Source P: USSR supported the invasion
of North Korea
Source Q: N Korea thought US
withdrawal signalled abandonment of
Korea to communism
Source R: Superpowers used Korea as a
way of playing out Cold War power
politics but avoiding direct conflict

This house
believes that
it was
American
foreign policy
that
crystallised
the Cold
War?

 Homework

How far do you accept the view of

Source K that it was American
foreign policy that crystallized Cold
War??
Answer this question using sources K
to N on p.61-2 plus your own
knowledge. Use the writing frame
and if necessary the topic sentences
your teacher provides

 Extension

Produce a factoid on Kim Il Sung aka

The Eternal President. Examine his
early life, beliefs, involvement in the
Korean War and lasting influence.
You may also wish to compare him
with his successor, his son Kim Jong
Il aka The Dear Leader.

Team America

Plenary

Reasons for US involvement

Historiography of Korean War:
orthodox, revisionist,
local/international factors,
Trumans foreign policy
Extension. Who was to blame?
What tips would you give an A
level student tackling sourcebased questions for this paper
for the first time