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USSR detonated its first atomic bomb
marked the end of the American atomic monopoly -
The fall of China
CCP's vicotry in the Chinese civil war--The People's Republic of China was formed -
Truman authorised the development of a hydrogen bomb based on the fusion process
US must enjoy superiority in the field of nuclear weapons -
Acheson's defence perimeter speech had omitted Sk
led to Kim Il Sung's estimation of the war would only last a matter of days; Stalin had cautiously agreed to Kim's invasion plan -
Sino-Soviet Treaty
Stalin and Mao signed a 30-year mutual assistance treaty under which the Soviets promised to provide China with $300 million in credits -
NSC 68
reappraisal of US policy which demonstrated the underlying continuity of American policy--its definition of Soviet threat differed little from Kennan's in the LT, but differed in the aspect of military buildup as it poposed a substantial increase in military strength, both its conventional forces and its atomic weapons Stalin warned Kim that Russia would not intervene directly -
May-June: Stalin's aid to NK
Stalin sent military supplies and advisers to NK -
KW was about to erupt
90 000 NK soldiers smashed through SK's border defences -
US sponsored a resolution in the UN SC
US calling for military action against NK -
US commitment to SK
Truman ordered American troops stationed in Japan into Korea; US committed 260 000 troops while UN soldiers from other nations never exceeded 35 000 -
NKs captured Seoul
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MacArthur pushed on towards the 38th parallel
Truman authorised the crossing of the 38th parallel based on flawed intelligence reports that neither USSR nor China would intervene -
UN suffers
UN forces suffered 11 000 casualties in 2 days (3000 US troops died) -
Communist reoccupied Pyongyang
NKs recaptured Seoul -
Operation Killer
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Operation Ripper
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Truman sacked MacArthur
MacArthur disagreed with Truman's decision to fight a limited war -
Peace talks began
dragged on for 2 years due to issue of repatration of POWs--Stalin was influencing negotitations from afar -
Death of Stalin
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Operation Everready
Syngman Rhee ordered the release of 27 000 POWs which damaged the peace talks significantly but not fatally. US was unwilling to let Rhee scuttle the peace talks hence developed Operation Everready for the complete takeover of the SK govt if Rhee cannot be kept in line -
Armistice
as a result of Stalin's death and compromise on the issue of repatriation of POWs
