What were the causes and effects of the Korean War Discuss at least three causes and two effects?

Answer 1

The war was caused by various factors, including the Communists' desire to reunite Korea under their rule and the rise of Cold War tensions between Communist and non-Communist nations. Korea had been divided at the end of WW II, with Soviet forces occupying the territory north of the 38th parallel, and US forces to the south of it. Plans to reunite the country were never instituted. A Communist government was established in the north and a pro-Western government evolved in the south. Thus the Communist invasion of the south in 1950 became a part of the larger Cold War between the Communists and the US and its Western allies. In this context the war was a major test of the US policy of "containing" Communism.

The north was left under Kim Il Sung, and now Kim Jung Il. They live in poverty, fearful of their "Great Leader". Families were split, and only recently have they been allowed to reunite under the watchful eyes of the police, carefully orchestrated by the government to win favour from the world superpowers.

The south was left as a republic, and fought hard for 50 years through bad leaders and quasi-democracy to be a success.

The Korean War brought the US and Russia further apart, and the fear of communism would later lead the US to throw itself into Vietnam, to avoid another North Korea. Back then, communism was the big evil and the US feared North Vietnam's intentions. The world was being divided between nations under the US and the Russian spheres.

The Korean War was a necessary show of strength on the US side, that they would do anything to prevent the spread of communism. It also brought China into conflict with the US, bringing bad feelings between the two countries which would last for decades.