The start of the Cold War in Asia
Korean War Timeline
August 1945- Korea split in two at the 38th parallel
February 1946- The governments of Kim Il Sung and Syngman Rhee established
March 1947- Truman Doctrine announced
October 1949- Elections held in South Korea
12th January 1950- Acheson’s Press Club Speech
25th June 1950- North Korean invasion launched
15th September 1950- Inchon landing
7th October 1950- UN troops cross the 38th parallel
25th November 1950- Chinese offensive begins
11th April 1951- MacArthur sacked
10th July 1951- Negotiations at Kae Song
25th October 1951- Negotiations at Panmunjom
4th November 1952- Eisenhower elected president
5th March 1953- Death of Stalin
17th June 1953- Rhee releases POWs
27th July 1953- Panmunjom Armistice signed
Introduction
▪ The Cold War was something that began in Europe, but spread to the East. Events in
Europe impacted policy in the East and vice-versa. Some American politicians and
diplomats thought that the relationship between the USA and countries in the East such as
China was more important than relations with Europe; they were known as ‘Asia Firsters’.
▪ The USSR had only declared war on Japan on 8th August 1945 (compared to 1941 for USA
and UK) The Japanese surrendered 4 weeks later on 2nd September, so the Soviets had
not really fought the Japanese in WW2 for any length of time.
▪ However, the two nations had a long rivalry going back at least to the war of 1904-5 and
would continue to dispute ownership of the Kuril Islands, for example for most of the Cold
War.
▪ More importantly in the Far East, the Soviets were supporting Mao Zedong and the
Chinese communists in their civil war and hoped to spread The Communist Revolution
throughout Asia.
,Japan
▪ The USSR did not declare war on Japan until August 8th, 1945. The US took the Japanese
surrender on 2nd September and occupied Japan by themselves
▪ The Soviets had pledged at Yalta to enter the war against Japan once the war in Europe
was over, but the war in the Far East ended much more quickly than they had expected
with the bombing of Hiroshima
, ▪ There was a firm belief at the time (and now) that one of Truman’s motives for dropping
the atom bomb as well as to end the was also to frighten the Russians with American
power
▪ The bomb also ensured the war ended quickly before the Soviets became seriously
involved, so the USSR was unable to demand much territory in the Far East or be a part of
the occupation.
▪ General Douglas MacArthur, the American commander of the occupying forces, was given
almost dictatorial power to turn Japan from a militaristic state to a democratic one with
Communists banned from government posts
▪ Investment was encouraged and US bases were built on Japanese territory, particularly
near the Russian border
▪ The Americans were aiming to make Japan into a militarily weak but democratic power
that would no longer be capable of starting a war
▪ The development of the Cold War in Europe and the fall of China to communism changed
their attitude.
▪ Originally the US had seen China as its main trading and military partner in the Far East,
but 1949 changed that.
▪ Now it was important to build Japan back up as a strong power to counter-balance China
▪ Edwards says that alliance with Japan became the cornerstone of American Containment
in Asia
▪ The decision to strengthen Japan was given added urgency in 1950 when war broke out in
Korea between the communist North and the western-backed South.
▪ The occupying American forces in fact did much to rebuild Japanese industry and in 1951 a
treaty was signed formally ending the war between the US and Japan and ending the
occupation
▪ An alliance was also signed allowing the US to maintain military bases and troops on
Japanese territory
▪ Japan also promised to stop trading with communist China and do more trade with
Formosa
Korean War Timeline
August 1945- Korea split in two at the 38th parallel
February 1946- The governments of Kim Il Sung and Syngman Rhee established
March 1947- Truman Doctrine announced
October 1949- Elections held in South Korea
12th January 1950- Acheson’s Press Club Speech
25th June 1950- North Korean invasion launched
15th September 1950- Inchon landing
7th October 1950- UN troops cross the 38th parallel
25th November 1950- Chinese offensive begins
11th April 1951- MacArthur sacked
10th July 1951- Negotiations at Kae Song
25th October 1951- Negotiations at Panmunjom
4th November 1952- Eisenhower elected president
5th March 1953- Death of Stalin
17th June 1953- Rhee releases POWs
27th July 1953- Panmunjom Armistice signed
Introduction
▪ The Cold War was something that began in Europe, but spread to the East. Events in
Europe impacted policy in the East and vice-versa. Some American politicians and
diplomats thought that the relationship between the USA and countries in the East such as
China was more important than relations with Europe; they were known as ‘Asia Firsters’.
▪ The USSR had only declared war on Japan on 8th August 1945 (compared to 1941 for USA
and UK) The Japanese surrendered 4 weeks later on 2nd September, so the Soviets had
not really fought the Japanese in WW2 for any length of time.
▪ However, the two nations had a long rivalry going back at least to the war of 1904-5 and
would continue to dispute ownership of the Kuril Islands, for example for most of the Cold
War.
▪ More importantly in the Far East, the Soviets were supporting Mao Zedong and the
Chinese communists in their civil war and hoped to spread The Communist Revolution
throughout Asia.
,Japan
▪ The USSR did not declare war on Japan until August 8th, 1945. The US took the Japanese
surrender on 2nd September and occupied Japan by themselves
▪ The Soviets had pledged at Yalta to enter the war against Japan once the war in Europe
was over, but the war in the Far East ended much more quickly than they had expected
with the bombing of Hiroshima
, ▪ There was a firm belief at the time (and now) that one of Truman’s motives for dropping
the atom bomb as well as to end the was also to frighten the Russians with American
power
▪ The bomb also ensured the war ended quickly before the Soviets became seriously
involved, so the USSR was unable to demand much territory in the Far East or be a part of
the occupation.
▪ General Douglas MacArthur, the American commander of the occupying forces, was given
almost dictatorial power to turn Japan from a militaristic state to a democratic one with
Communists banned from government posts
▪ Investment was encouraged and US bases were built on Japanese territory, particularly
near the Russian border
▪ The Americans were aiming to make Japan into a militarily weak but democratic power
that would no longer be capable of starting a war
▪ The development of the Cold War in Europe and the fall of China to communism changed
their attitude.
▪ Originally the US had seen China as its main trading and military partner in the Far East,
but 1949 changed that.
▪ Now it was important to build Japan back up as a strong power to counter-balance China
▪ Edwards says that alliance with Japan became the cornerstone of American Containment
in Asia
▪ The decision to strengthen Japan was given added urgency in 1950 when war broke out in
Korea between the communist North and the western-backed South.
▪ The occupying American forces in fact did much to rebuild Japanese industry and in 1951 a
treaty was signed formally ending the war between the US and Japan and ending the
occupation
▪ An alliance was also signed allowing the US to maintain military bases and troops on
Japanese territory
▪ Japan also promised to stop trading with communist China and do more trade with
Formosa
