Ch7 - Korean war
Background and basics
• Jun 1950 north Koreans launched full attack across 38 th parallel
• US in UN could organise a coalition of 16 countries including Britain
• SEP Mc’ Arthurs amphibious landing – as a result China intervenes as the invasion went to
far over the Yellow river
• Armistice in JUL 1953
Advantage of British involvement
• Pushed by labour foreign sectary Ernest Bevin believing
• Participation demonstrates still superpower status
• First challenge to UN’s credibility (uk was a founding member)
• If no commitment US may not be part of European defence the new NATO alliance
o Now had a permanent military bureaucracy in form of NATO
Disadvantage of British involvement
• In reality were dwarfed by American counterparts suffering 700 losses to American 34,000
• British influenced fateful SEP 1945 northern offensive
• Pressure on economy as expanded defence expenditure
Suez crisis
For
• Fist step of Egyptian dominance
• USSR influence on region allowed by Nasser also UUSR were supplying arms
• 2/3 oil to Europe in canal
• 1/3 of Suez ships were British
• Britain saw as ‘his thumb on our windpipe’
Against
• Nasser’s actions legal under international law
o British cabinet recognised as ‘his actions amounted to no more than a decision to
buy out the shareholders’
• Looks imperialistic
• USA desperately wants peace
• USA feels deceived
• Timing with Hungarian uprising- pro democracy
Op musketeer
• Bitterness over no help to build Aswan dam from US and UK
• Israeli seizing of peninsular as buffer zone
• British cover up as saving the day
• Modern warfare
• Military success and political disaster with economic sanctions- Eden resigned
, The Falkland’s war
Good handling
• Quick reaction within 3 days taskforce on way
• Gained UN security councils support in law ensuring Britain’s actions were justified (unlike
Suez)
o European community persuaded to impose sanctions on Argentina
• Had US on side
o Regan had high levels of personal regard for thatcher
o Although made measures to mediate accepted that this would not be the case and
US defence sectary Casper Weinberger provided task force with weapons , military
intelligence (ie air traffic to Argentina) and us of US air base on Assertion island
Poor handling
• Defending the island costed around 1.5 million pounds per islander in mid 80’s
• Critics say no real significance or gain
Events
• 2nd April 1982 Argentinian forces invade and capture Falkland’s (8000 miles from Britain and 400
miles of Argentinian coast) military dictatorship determined no British will to take back,
o By late April Argentina had stationed more than 10,000 troops
• 5th April under thatcher taskforce sent, and 200 mile warzone surrounding island set up
• 2nd of may General Belgrano (Argentina cruiser) sank by British submarine outside the zone
loosing 360 lives
o Huge blow as Argentinian navy was very small relied more on air power
• HMS Sheffield destroyed by missile
• 21st May British troops launch amphibious landing 50 miles from capital port Stanley
• 14th June British forces entre the capital and Argentina surrenders
The gulf war
Good handling
• Strengthen UK-US alliance
• Successfully liberated Kuwait
• Although thatcher was out of power by now, she can be accredited for some of the planning
• She famously told the media ‘ you cannot have a situation where one country marches in
and takes over another county which is a member of the UN’
• Only 47 British deaths
Bad handling
• Saddam Hussain kept control of Iraq seeking revenge on Iraqi rebels such as Iraqi Kurds
• Was seen as imperialist despite Arab coalition
• Removal of Hussain later on and 2003 war caused a lot of controversy
Background and basics
• Jun 1950 north Koreans launched full attack across 38 th parallel
• US in UN could organise a coalition of 16 countries including Britain
• SEP Mc’ Arthurs amphibious landing – as a result China intervenes as the invasion went to
far over the Yellow river
• Armistice in JUL 1953
Advantage of British involvement
• Pushed by labour foreign sectary Ernest Bevin believing
• Participation demonstrates still superpower status
• First challenge to UN’s credibility (uk was a founding member)
• If no commitment US may not be part of European defence the new NATO alliance
o Now had a permanent military bureaucracy in form of NATO
Disadvantage of British involvement
• In reality were dwarfed by American counterparts suffering 700 losses to American 34,000
• British influenced fateful SEP 1945 northern offensive
• Pressure on economy as expanded defence expenditure
Suez crisis
For
• Fist step of Egyptian dominance
• USSR influence on region allowed by Nasser also UUSR were supplying arms
• 2/3 oil to Europe in canal
• 1/3 of Suez ships were British
• Britain saw as ‘his thumb on our windpipe’
Against
• Nasser’s actions legal under international law
o British cabinet recognised as ‘his actions amounted to no more than a decision to
buy out the shareholders’
• Looks imperialistic
• USA desperately wants peace
• USA feels deceived
• Timing with Hungarian uprising- pro democracy
Op musketeer
• Bitterness over no help to build Aswan dam from US and UK
• Israeli seizing of peninsular as buffer zone
• British cover up as saving the day
• Modern warfare
• Military success and political disaster with economic sanctions- Eden resigned
, The Falkland’s war
Good handling
• Quick reaction within 3 days taskforce on way
• Gained UN security councils support in law ensuring Britain’s actions were justified (unlike
Suez)
o European community persuaded to impose sanctions on Argentina
• Had US on side
o Regan had high levels of personal regard for thatcher
o Although made measures to mediate accepted that this would not be the case and
US defence sectary Casper Weinberger provided task force with weapons , military
intelligence (ie air traffic to Argentina) and us of US air base on Assertion island
Poor handling
• Defending the island costed around 1.5 million pounds per islander in mid 80’s
• Critics say no real significance or gain
Events
• 2nd April 1982 Argentinian forces invade and capture Falkland’s (8000 miles from Britain and 400
miles of Argentinian coast) military dictatorship determined no British will to take back,
o By late April Argentina had stationed more than 10,000 troops
• 5th April under thatcher taskforce sent, and 200 mile warzone surrounding island set up
• 2nd of may General Belgrano (Argentina cruiser) sank by British submarine outside the zone
loosing 360 lives
o Huge blow as Argentinian navy was very small relied more on air power
• HMS Sheffield destroyed by missile
• 21st May British troops launch amphibious landing 50 miles from capital port Stanley
• 14th June British forces entre the capital and Argentina surrenders
The gulf war
Good handling
• Strengthen UK-US alliance
• Successfully liberated Kuwait
• Although thatcher was out of power by now, she can be accredited for some of the planning
• She famously told the media ‘ you cannot have a situation where one country marches in
and takes over another county which is a member of the UN’
• Only 47 British deaths
Bad handling
• Saddam Hussain kept control of Iraq seeking revenge on Iraqi rebels such as Iraqi Kurds
• Was seen as imperialist despite Arab coalition
• Removal of Hussain later on and 2003 war caused a lot of controversy
