1. WWII: USA & USSR were allies vs Nazi Germany, but ≠ friends.
◦ USA = Capitalist (free market, individual profit); USSR = Communist (state econ control, individual duty).
◦ USA = political freedom; USSR = political control.
◦ USA wanted Democracy & trade partners inc. Germany; USSR wanted world communist revolution + East Europe buffer states + destroy Germany.
2. Both manoeuvred during War:
◦ British defeat at Arnhem ∵ Churchill rushed to reach Berlin b4 USSR.
◦ Hiroshima ∵ USA wanted quick end to Pacific War ∵ Stalin was moving into East Asia.
3. Cold War followed WWII:
◦ Stalin-backed coups in E. Europe; 1948–49: Stalin blockaded W. Berlin.
◦ In Asia, communist demonstrations & revolutions → became communist, 1949.
Two Standpoints
1. USA saw USSR as aggressor:
• 1947: ‘Truman Doctrine’→ '' policy; Congress gave $17b Marshall Aid to support W. Europe democratic govts.
• Acheson: Communism = the rotten apple which will ruin the whole barrel.
• April 1950:
report said containment ≠ enough → USA must 'roll back' Communism.
• US anti-communism ↑ after 1948:
◦ ‘ Papers’ showed Alger Hiss (top US official, UN founder) = Soviet spy.
◦ HUAC launched → started w. 1947 ‘Hollywood Ten’.
◦ Govt loyalty checks began; 425 employees sacked by Truman ∵ homosexual (seen as blackmail risk).
2. USSR saw USA as aggressor:
• Stalin took Churchill’s 1946 'Iron Curtain' speech as war threat.
• He saw Marshall Aid = US econ blackmail.
• Accused USA of Empire-building.
• USSR only got Atomic bomb in
; still behind in nukes until 1960s → USSR options limited.
B - The USA and the USSR in Korea
Background:
• 1943
Conference = Allies said Korea would become free & indep.
• 10 Aug 1945: USSR entered Korea; USSR & USA agreed to divide Korea at
th parallel → North = Soviet occupation, South = US occupation.
• 1945–50 = plan for 5-year
.
• 1946–47: US-USSR
failed to agree unification plan.
The USSR
1. 10 Aug 1945: Soviet army entered N. Korea.
◦ Local ‘People’s Committees’ already running areas → became basis for govt.
◦ USSR brought 67 Korean officers from USSR incl
→ made DPRK leader.
◦ (though nb Cumings: Soviet control ≈ limited to Pyongyang.)
◦ Stalin gave Kim Soviet weapons left in Korea/Manchuria; USSR advisers trained NKPA.
◦ But 1949: Stalin told Kim USSR would not back invasion of South.
The USA
1. 8 Sept 1945: US forces entered S. Korea.
◦ Warned by Japan that Communists planned power grab → USA dropped leaflets telling Koreans to obey Japan until US arrived.
◦ Even after arrival, Japanese kept guarding assets in US armbands (= unpopular).
2. Found ‘People’s Committees’ running govt + 'People's Republic of Korea' in Seoul → USA banned them, set up US military govt using old Japanese systems (= unpopular).
3. US govt = failure:
◦ Japanese had run everything → US soldiers (≠ trained, ≠ qualified, ≠ Korean-speaking) ran govt.
◦ US soldiers abused locals, looted, drank, assaulted, harassed women.
◦ 1946 poll: almost half S. Koreans preferred Japanese rule.
4. US flew in
(Christian Korean nationalist in USA since 1925) → made S. Korea’s President.
5. Widespread hatred of US occupation:
◦ 1946:
uprising after police fired on strike → US army crushed revolt → 611 dead, 2,609 arrested.
6. 1949: US troops withdrew but left ROK $110m in weapons – no tanks or planes, ∵ USA feared Rhee would invade North → global war risk.
A – The Cold War
Origins of the Cold War
1. WWII: USA & USSR were allies vs Nazi Germany, but ≠ friends.
◦ USA = Capitalist (free market, individual profit); USSR = Communist (state econ control, individual duty).
◦ USA = political freedom; USSR = political control.
◦ USA wanted Democracy & trade partners inc. Germany; USSR wanted world communist revolution + East Europe buffer states + destroy Germany.
2. Both manoeuvred during War:
◦ British defeat at Arnhem ∵ Churchill rushed to reach Berlin b4 USSR.
◦ Hiroshima ∵ USA wanted quick end to Pacific War ∵ Stalin was moving into East Asia.
3. Cold War followed WWII:
◦ Stalin-backed coups in E. Europe; 1948–49: Stalin blockaded W. Berlin.
◦ In Asia, communist demonstrations & revolutions → CHINA became communist, 1949.
Two Standpoints
1. USA saw USSR as aggressor:
• 1947: ‘Truman Doctrine’→ 'CONTAINMENT' policy; Congress gave $17b Marshall Aid to support W. Europe democratic govts.
• Acheson: Communism = the rotten apple which will ruin the whole barrel.
• April 1950: NSC-68 report said containment ≠ enough → USA must 'roll back' Communism.
• US anti-communism ↑ after 1948:
◦ ‘PUMPKIN Papers’ showed Alger Hiss (top US official, UN founder) = Soviet spy.
◦ HUAC launched → started w. 1947 ‘Hollywood Ten’.
◦ Govt loyalty checks began; 425 employees sacked by Truman ∵ homosexual (seen as blackmail risk).
2. USSR saw USA as aggressor:
• Stalin took Churchill’s 1946 'Iron Curtain' speech as war threat.
• He saw Marshall Aid = US econ blackmail.
• Accused USA of Empire-building.
• USSR only got Atomic bomb in 1949; still behind in nukes until 1960s → USSR options limited.
B - The USA and the USSR in Korea
Background:
• 1943 CAIRO Conference = Allies said Korea would become free & indep.
• 10 Aug 1945: USSR entered Korea; USSR & USA agreed to divide Korea at 38th parallel → North = Soviet occupation, South = US occupation.
• 1945–50 = plan for 5-year TRUSTEESHIP.
• 1946–47: US-USSR JOINT COMMISSION failed to agree unification plan.
The USSR
1. 10 Aug 1945: Soviet army entered N. Korea.
◦ Local ‘People’s Committees’ already running areas → became basis for govt.
◦ USSR brought 67 Korean officers from USSR incl KIM IL SUNG → made DPRK leader.
◦ (though nb Cumings: Soviet control ≈ limited to Pyongyang.)
◦ Stalin gave Kim Soviet weapons left in Korea/Manchuria; USSR advisers trained NKPA.
◦ But 1949: Stalin told Kim USSR would not back invasion of South.
The USA
1. 8 Sept 1945: US forces entered S. Korea.
◦ Warned by Japan that Communists planned power grab → USA dropped leaflets telling Koreans to obey Japan until US arrived.
◦ Even after arrival, Japanese kept guarding assets in US armbands (= unpopular).
2. Found ‘People’s Committees’ running govt + 'People's Republic of Korea' in Seoul → USA banned them, set up US military govt using old Japanese systems (= unpopular).
3. US govt = failure:
◦ Japanese had run everything → US soldiers (≠ trained, ≠ qualified, ≠ Korean-speaking) ran govt.
