- 1. What type of economic system did the USA have?
- • Capitalist (free market, individual profit)
- 2. What did the USSR want to achieve in Eastern Europe after WWII?
- • A buffer zone of states, world communist revolution, and the destruction of Germany
- 3. What happened in China in 1949 that increased Cold War tensions?
- 4. What was the purpose of the 1947 Truman Doctrine?
- To support democratic governments and contain communism
- 5. Which top US official, later found to be a Soviet spy, was linked to the 'Pumpkin Papers'?
- 6. How did Stalin interpret Churchill’s 1946 ‘Iron Curtain’ speech?
- 7. What year did the USSR first develop the atomic bomb?
- 8. What was agreed at the Cairo Conference in 1943 about Korea’s future?
- That Korea would become free and independent
- 9. Who became the leader of North Korea after the USSR brought him from exile?
- 10. What Korean uprising in 1946 led to over 600 deaths and thousands of arrests?
- 11. Why did the USA not give tanks or planes to South Korea in 1949?
- Because the USA feared Syngman Rhee would invade the North and start a global war
- 12. At what parallel did the USA & USSR agree to divide Korea in August 1945?
- 13. What did the USA and USSR agree in Dec 1945 about the future of Korea?
- A 5-year ‘trusteeship’ of their zones.
- 14. What decision did the UN make in Nov 1947 after the USA raised the issue of Korea?
- Created the UN Commission on Korea (UNCOK).
- 15. How did Syngman Rhee use eliminate opposition?
- Brutal internal security forces & the Hyangbodan.
- 16. When did South Korea invade North Korea?
- 17. What happened during at Jeju 1948–49?
- An uprising was brutally crushed by Rhee’s forces.
- 18. Why did Stalin refuse to support Kim Il Sung’s invasion plan in March 1949?
- He feared it would trigger a nuclear war.
- 19. What did US Secretary of State Acheson say in Jan 1950 and what effect did it have?
- That Korea was outside the US Far East security cordon; it encouraged Stalin to approve Kim’s war plans.
- 20. What did Stalin fear would happen if he refused to support Kim Il Sung in early 1950?
- Kim would turn to China instead of the USSR.
- 21. What happened in May 1950 which seriously weakened Rhee's government?
- Rhee lost control of the Assembly in the elections.
- 22. When did North Korea invade South Korea?
- 23. What was the name of the North Korean invasion?
- 24. Why was the ROK Army caught by surprise when the invasion began?
- Most units were not in position or on weekend leave.
- 25. What type of tank proved unstoppable for the ROK Army?
- 26. What key location fell on 26 June, opening the way to Seoul?
- 27. What disastrous mistake did ROK Army chief Gen. Chae make when fleeing Seoul on 27 June?
- He ordered his troops to attack before they were ready so they were routed.
- 28. What major mistakes did the ROK leadership make on 27 June?
- They left without informing their remaining troops; they blew the Han Bridge too soon without warning, killing 1,000 and trapping 44,000 ROK troops.
- 29. What were ROK Army losses 25-28 June?
- 80% of its men and 70% of its equipment.
- 30. What did the US believe about the 1950 NK invasion?
- That it was a Soviet plot & the start of a global communist offensive.
- 31. What did General MacArthur recommend after assessing the situation in Korea?
- Immediate deployment of US ground troops.
- 32. What was the NKPA accused of during the occupation of Taejon?
- Massacring c.5000 civilians including govt officials & suspected collaborators.
- 33. Why did Acheson decide Korea was now strategically vital?
- Its safety affected Japan; because US prestige in Asia depended on stopping communism; & to protect US trade routes.
- 34. What did UN Resolution 83 call on members to do?
- To “furnish such assistance to the Republic of Korea as may be necessary to repel the armed attack and to restore international peace and security in the area.”.
- 35. Why didn’t the USSR veto UN Resolution 83?
- It was boycotting the Security Council over Communist China’s exclusion.
- 36. How did the US use the UN Resolution strategically?
- As a ‘moral cloak’ to justify war without provoking accusations of risking world war.
- 37. What did the first US troops arrogantly believe about the NPKA?
- That they would flee at the sight of a US uniform.
- 38. At what battle did Task Force Smith fail to stop the NKPA tanks and then flee on 5 July?
- 39. What problems affected US 34th Infantry at Pyongtaek on 6 July?
- No anti-tank weapons, faulty radios, poor supplies, untrained troops, disorganised command.
- 40. What happened to the US 24th Division at Taejon, 16-20 July?
- Lost 3,602 men, 2,962 captured incl. its commander.
- 41. What stopped the NKPA advance in August?
- The UN established a perimeter at the Natkong River line near Pusan; NKPA troops were exhausted.
- 42. Where was the US amphibious landing in September 1950 that outflanked the NKPA?
- 43. Why did the Inchon landing trap most of the NKPA?
- 98,000 NKPA troops were concentrated at the Pusan Perimeter
- 44. Which country warned Kim Il Sung about a possible US landing at Inchon?
- 45. What did MacArthur demand on 1 Oct 1950?
- NKPA’s unconditional surrender
- 46. What was the name of the UN resolution that authorised the invasion of North Korea; what did it authorise?
- Resolution 376; “all appropriate steps”
- 47. Which river marks the border between North Korea and China?
- 48. Where did MacArthur meet Truman to convince him to agree to invade; what did he promise?
- Wake Island; that China would not intervene.
- 49. What was MacArthur’s plan of
invasion?
- A two-pronged ‘pincer’ movement – the ROK & US X Corps advancing up the east coast/ the 8th Army advancing up the west of the country
- 50. On what date did Chinese troops first start crossing the Yalu River?
- 51. What name did China give to its invading army; why was this important?
- People’s Volunteer Army (PVA); it kept China, officially, out of the war.
- 52. Roughly how many Chinese troops were gathered for the Second Phase Offensive?
- 53. Why did UN forces fail to detect the build-up of Chinese troops?
- The PVA kept to the mountains between the two US armies, marched at night & hid by day.
Captured Chinese POWs confused UN intel with contradictory stories
- 54. What tactic did the PVA use in fighting the UN troops?
- They lured the US infantry to advance into a V-shaped trap
- 55. What temperatures did UN troops face in the Chinese Second Phase Offensive?
- 56. What date did Seoul fall to the Chinese?
- 57. What was the name of the UN operation that crossed the 38th Parallel for a second time?
- 58. How far into North Korea did the UN advance during Operation Dauntless?
- 20 miles north of the 38th Parallel
- 59. What was the strategic name for the militarily/ economically important area east of Pyongyang?
- 60. Who sacked MacArthur, and when?
- 61. How many PVA casualties were caused by the Chinese Fifth Phase Offensive?
- 62. What nicknames were given to two of the September 1951 battles that showed the US the high cost of attacking NKPA positions?
- Bloody, Ridge; Heartbreak Ridge
- 63. Which position changed hands 24 times in October 1952?
- 64. How many UN casualties were suffered in six days of fighting on Pork Chop Hill?
- 65. What was the average number of shells the PVA fired at UN lines per day?
- 66. Where was the camp where communist POWs rioted and kidnapped a US officer?
- 67. How many civilians were killed by ROK forces in the Bodo League massacres?
- 68. Where did US forces bomb and shoot fleeing refugees in July 1950?
- 69. What did the USA hope to recover through a ceasefire, besides ending casualties?
- US POWs and removal of 135,000 enemy POWs
- 70. What change in US policy meant the Korean War was no longer seen as winnable?
- Rollback shifted to containment (the Wyoming Line)
- 71. What significant international event in March 1953 made China more open to peace?
- 72. What economic reason contributed to China agreeing to a ceasefire?
- A bad rice harvest, especially in the northeast
- 73. What did the 27 November 1951 agreement establish between North and South Korea?
- A 4-mile-wide Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)
- 74. Why was the POW issue such a propaganda defeat for the Communists?
- One-third of enemy POWs refused repatriation
- 75. What was the 'Little Switch' in April 1953?
- An exchange of sick and wounded POWs
- 76. What did Rhee do on 18 June 1953 that nearly wrecked the ceasefire?
- Removed ROK troops from UN command and freed 27,000 anti-Communist POWs
- 77. What did the US offer Syngman Rhee in June 1953 to prevent him blocking the ceasefire?
- A Mutual Security Treaty, long-term economic aid, $200m, and 5,000 tons of food
- 78. What was the date of the Korean War armistice?
- 79. What military technology did the USA develop as part of the postwar arms race?
- Hydrogen bomb, tactical nukes, and ICBMs
- 80. What did Eastern Bloc countries send to help rebuild North Korea?
- Industrial goods like buses, engines, factories, and hospitals
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