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Topic 5: How effectively did the USA contain the Spread of
Communism?
5.1 How Effectively did the USA contain the spread of Communism? The
Korean War- Containment Case Study 1 1950-1953
5.1.1 Context
● USA is world’s most powerful nation but events don’t seem to be going in the right way for
America in regard to communism
● most of Eastern Europe is under Communist
influence
● China became communist in 1949 under
Chairman Mao (US had always regarded China as
their strongest ally in Far East)
● 1949- Stalin announces that USSR have their own
atomic weapons
● Truman also receiving reports that Stalin was using
Cominform (created in 1947) to help communists
gain influence in Malaya, Burma, Indonesia,
Philippines+Korea
● between 1904-1945 Korea had been controlled by Japan
5.1.2 Causes
5.1.2.1 The situation in Korea at the end of WW2
● korea is divided (USA controls south Korea) (USSR controls North Korea)
● 8th parallel
divided along line called 3
● were going to control Korea until could elect a government to run whole country
● USA and USSR pulled out there troops but still supported with arms and money
● eptember 1948 led by K
North Korea becomes Korean people’s republic in S im IL Sung
● in South Korea a anti-communist government in August 1949 c alled Republic of Korea led
by President Syngman Rhee
5.1.2.2 Kim IL Sung seeks support from Stalin and Mao
● 1949 Kim IL Sung goes to Stalin and tells him that he thinks he can invade South Korea
● Stalin agrees and sees this as an opportunity to f ight America but at “arm's length” w
ithout
fighting or declaring War on USA
● gets Mao’s (Chinese leader) support in 1949 as well
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Topic 5: How effectively did the USA contain the Spread of
Communism?
5.1 How Effectively did the USA contain the spread of Communism? The
Korean War- Containment Case Study 1 1950-1953
5.1.1 Context
● USA is world’s most powerful nation but events don’t seem to be going in the right way for
America in regard to communism
● most of Eastern Europe is under Communist
influence
● China became communist in 1949 under
Chairman Mao (US had always regarded China as
their strongest ally in Far East)
● 1949- Stalin announces that USSR have their own
atomic weapons
● Truman also receiving reports that Stalin was using
Cominform (created in 1947) to help communists
gain influence in Malaya, Burma, Indonesia,
Philippines+Korea
● between 1904-1945 Korea had been controlled by Japan
5.1.2 Causes
5.1.2.1 The situation in Korea at the end of WW2
● korea is divided (USA controls south Korea) (USSR controls North Korea)
● 8th parallel
divided along line called 3
● were going to control Korea until could elect a government to run whole country
● USA and USSR pulled out there troops but still supported with arms and money
● eptember 1948 led by K
North Korea becomes Korean people’s republic in S im IL Sung
● in South Korea a anti-communist government in August 1949 c alled Republic of Korea led
by President Syngman Rhee
5.1.2.2 Kim IL Sung seeks support from Stalin and Mao
● 1949 Kim IL Sung goes to Stalin and tells him that he thinks he can invade South Korea
● Stalin agrees and sees this as an opportunity to f ight America but at “arm's length” w
ithout
fighting or declaring War on USA
● gets Mao’s (Chinese leader) support in 1949 as well
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