Cold War Conflicts The Cold War Heats Up

China Becomes Communist Chiang Kai-shek: Nationalist leader supported by the United States Mao Zedong: Communist leader gaining strength and peasant support

Civil War in China As soon as the Japanese left, civil war erupted between the Nationalists and the Communists Americans favored Nationalists simply because they opposed communism

America Reacts to Communist Takeover Conservatives believed communists were infiltrating American government

The Korean War Japan had annexed Korea and ruled there until the end of WWII Japanese troops north of the 38th Parallel surrendered to the Soviets Japanese troops south of the 38th parallel surrendered to the Americans South Korea was established as a democracy with Seoul as the capital

The Korean War ★Struggled to make military advances; ill-equipped and trained ★Demoralized ★Fought only to contain the spread of Communism On June 25, 1950 North Korean forces swept across the 38th parallel in a surprise attack

MacArthur’s Counterattack Surprise amphibious landing behind enemy lines on Korea’s west coast while other troops moved north

The Chinese Fight Back The Chinese were not going to allow Americans close to their border Chinese drove the UN troops back southward By Jan 1951, all UN troops were out of North Korea

MacArthur Recommends Attacking China To stop the bloody stalemate, MacArthur called for an extension of the war into China The Soviet Union had a mutual-assistance pact with China Attacking China could set off WWIII Omar Bradley said a war with China would be “the wrong war, at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and with the wrong enemy”

Regaining Seoul Instead of attacking China, the UN and South Korean forces began to advance again By April 1951, they had regained Seoul and moved back of the 38th parallel The situation was the same as when the war started

MacArthur vs. Truman Not satisfied with the recapture of Seoul, MacArthur continued to urge full-scale war in China Tried to go over Truman’s head Spoke to newspapers and magazine publishers Republican leaders Continued to criticize Truman as he was trying to settle the war Fired MacArthur

Settling for Stalemate The Soviet Union unexpectedly suggested a cease-fire Location of the cease-fire at existing battle line Establishment of demilitarized zone between the opposing sides July 1953 (another year of negotiations) an armistice is signed

Korean War Legacy Stalemate Republican administration elected next Fear of communist aggression increased Prompted a hunt for Americans who could be linked to communism