Kim Il Sung was determined to unify Korea under communism, but was initially advised against doing so as his close ally- the Soviet Union, feared that by doing so, it would lead to a confrontation from the Americans. As the Soviet embassy in Pyongyang put it: The unprovoked attack from the North "would give the Americans a pretext for all kinds of interfererence into Korean affairs." As such, Stalin had initially advised Kim Il Sung to await an offensive from the South, and on that pretext, attack the South.
However, following the Soviet acquisition of the atomic bomb, the victory of Chinese communists in the Chinese Civil War, the establishment of NATO, worsening relations between the Soviets and the West, and the Soviet's perceived weakening of the American's position and will to become militarily involved in Asia, Stalin gave the green light to Kim to launch an offensive southward to reunify Korea. In addition, Stalin pressured the People's Republic of China and their leader, Mao Zedong, to assist Kim Il Sung in the war, with the Soviets promising to provide the air force for them (a promise that was never fulfilled).
By supporting Kim Il Sung in his reunification plans, Stalin had shown that he was willing to support any communist movement by the use of military force, and with a communist, unified Korea right at his backyard, he was able to create a huge communist sphere of influence in Northeastern Asia.
How did the West react to this?
Following the NSC-68 and Truman's doctrine in which the policy of containment was introduced, the Americans were focused on containing communism and not allowing to spread. As such, when North Korea fought down south all the way to the Pusan perimeter, the Americans had to exert their influence in the UN Security Council to send peacekeeping troops there to intervene. Furthermore, with a strong veto-power missing from the Council, it was a great chance for the Americans to intervene and stop communist expansion as the UN and not as Americans, which mattered as if the Americans entered the war as Americans, the Soviets could also enter the war and the Cold War would have turned into a World War III.
By preventing communist expansion, the Americans remained their foothold in Northeast Asia and stopped the "domino effect"
The West was fearful of communist expansion as it would undermine their position in the world. As such, having failed to secure China, Korea was important for the West, and as such they had to defend her from communism. To the West, this was not only a civil war, but also a war which could affect their future, even though Korea was just a small peninsular.
Post By Cheng Yuan Han
Do you think the West fear of the spread of communist influence and control in Asia justifies their intervention and involvement? What's the group's views?
ReplyDeleteGood, informative post on the Vietnam War; a war that the Americans can never forget and which led to mixed feelings amongst the American people for the immense toll and suffering which fell on the people of Vietnam. It was one war that the Americans had to admit defeat to the North Vietnamese communists.
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