The Korean War 1950-1953

[LMS]

This topic is dedicated to The Korean War, 1950-1953.

The Cold War

Development and impact of the Cold War

• Global spread of the Cold War from its European origins

• Cold War policies of containment, brinkmanship, peaceful coexistence, détente

• Role of the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement

• Role and significance of leaders

HL Option 4: 11. Global impact of the region in the second half of the 20th century

• Korean War: causes, course and consequences

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I need to do an essay on the origins of the Korean War and I was wondering how exactly I can break down my essay:

Analyze the reasons of the outbreak of war in Korea in 1950.

Any ideas?

[tootall2591]

The way my HL History thought was do to:

1) Why did North Korea invade South Korea. You could discuss the reason for this and how it threated others by the spread of communism.

2) You could also discuss the failed elections the UN tried to implement.

3) Another aspect is what effect or dynamic did China's entrance into the war.

I hope this helps. Reply back if you need more clarity or help.

[LMS]

The way my HL History thought was do to:

1) Why did North Korea invade South Korea. You could discuss the reason for this and how it threated others by the spread of communism.

2) You could also discuss the failed elections the UN tried to implement.

3) Another aspect is what effect or dynamic did China's entrance into the war.

I hope this helps. Reply back if you need more clarity or help.

Yes, that's what I was thinking but I was having a hard time coming up with why North Korea invaded South Korea. I'd like to have a thematic approach, like political, economical, etc. What do you think?

And I agree with 2 as well, but I think 3 would be more of an aspect that affects the war itself, not the time period BEFORE the war.

Thank you so much by the way!

[Lyre]

You could talk about how the Korean War started as a Civil War, but that once the US and UN had entered it ultimately forced the Chinese to enter. Hence turning the whole thing into a Cold War conflict.

As for the North Invading the South, I believe it was just Kim Il Sung's trigger happy attitude and his own want to unify the country which led to his choosing to invade the South.

That and the fact that Mao and Stalin had given him the go ahead, which arguably had him feeling a little larger than life.

[tootall2591]

On the answer to a your question about a more thematic approach I would say that if you were to focus on the politics (Capitalism vs. Communism) of what caused the Korean War you would be able to make a strong essay about that. You could discuss under that idea of politics several key causes i.e. idealogical view points, economy, the people, political tactics used by both sides. You would just have to connect it all to why politics caused the war to start. If you are feeling brave you could make some connection in your essay about how Stalin or Mao's politics factored into the US entering the war because they wanted to stop the spread of Communism i.e. containment in Asia.

Hope this helps.

[Drake Glau]

On the answer to a your question about a more thematic approach I would say that if you were to focus on the politics (Capitalism vs. Communism) of what caused the Korean War you would be able to make a strong essay about that. You could discuss under that idea of politics several key causes i.e. idealogical view points, economy, the people, political tactics used by both sides. You would just have to connect it all to why politics caused the war to start. If you are feeling brave you could make some connection in your essay about how Stalin or Mao's politics factored into the US entering the war because they wanted to stop the spread of Communism i.e. containment in Asia.

Hope this helps.

*cough*triangular diplomacy*cough*

I believe the UN factored into this somewhere too, but I don't remember anything since I'm done with history

[LMS]

Anyone know where I can access or find primary documents that I can use for my history IA:

Analyze the reasons for the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950.

Thanks! Your help is much appreciated, I need as much as I can get!

[ShineeLikeMe]

congratz. if you had typed in korean war primary sources into google this is the first link

http://www.dwightdeisenhower.com/primarysource.html

[Tako]

This is a past paper question from May 06 i think. Maybe you should ask your tutor for the markscheme, it might give you some ideas

You could also talk about the various responsibilities for the outbreak of the Cold War, i.e. the responsibility of Mao, Stalin, Truman, Kim and Rhee, and which one weighed the most.

[LMS]

What would be some ideological causes? And would the 38th parallel be a geographical cause, or more of a political cause?

[LMS]

What would fall under geopolitical causes other than the 38th parallel? *-)