Communism Spreads to East Asia Lesson #3 USII.19 American Vision Ch. 26, Sect. 2 & 4

Student Objectives Students will be able to: Describe how China became a Communist nation Explain the causes and effects of the Korean War

China Becomes Communist Once WWII ended, Mao Zedong resumed his Communist revolution against the Nationalist government led by Chiang Kai-shek US sent aid to the Nationalists Stopped in Aug. 1949 Communists captured Beijing and established the People’s Republic of China in Oct. 1949 1950: People’s Republic of China and the Soviet Union signed a treaty of alliance

New Policy with Japan After China’s fall to the Communists, the US saw Japan as the key to defending Asia The US adopted policies to rapidly rebuild Japan’s economy Japan has since become a major industrial and technological power in the world

The Korean War After WWII, Korea was split along the 38th parallel, with the Soviet Union controlling the North and the U.S. controlling the South North Korea became the People’s Republic of Korea, run by Communists South Korea became the Republic of Korea, run by anti-communists Both sides wanted to unify the North and the South

The Korean War June 25, 1950: North Korea invaded South Korea and took the capital, Seoul, in 3 days North Korea’s military was built up by the Soviet Union Pres. Truman saw the invasion as a test of his containment policy and convinced the UN to assist the US in helping South Korea General Douglas MacArthur was in charge

The Korean War Proxy War – nations fight indirectly through other nations South Korea (US/UN) vs. North Korea (USSR and China) By Oct. 1950, Gen. MacArthur’s forces pushed North Korea back to the Yalu River (border between N.K. and China)

The Korean War Nov. 1950: China entered the war and pushed MacArthur’s forces back across the 38th parallel Gen. MacArthur wanted to expand the war to China, blockading Chinese ports and atomic bombing Chinese cities Truman preferred fighting a limited war (a war fought to achieve a limited object, in this case containing communism) and fired MacArthur US/UN forces pushed the Chinese back across the 38th parallel and a stalemate began

The Korean War Ends 1952: Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes President Pres. Eisenhower used what critics called brinksmanship (the willingness to go to the brink of war to force the other side to back down), threatening nuclear attacks, to end the war July 1953: an armistice is signed, establishing the 38th parallel as the border between North and South Korea

Effects of the Korean War US troops remain stationed in South Korea to help defend the border Started a massive US military build-up US signed defense agreements with Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Australia Aid to French forces fighting Communists in Vietnam began

Class Assignment Unforgettable: The Korean War PBS documentary Korean War Dialectical Journal