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This dissertation has been 64-126 microfilmed exactly as received SOH, Jin ChuU, 1930- SOME CAUSES OF THE KOREAN WAR OF 1950; A CASE STUDY OF SOVIET FOREIGN POLICY IN KOREA (1945-1950), WITH EMPHASIS ON SINO- SOVIET COLLABORATION. The University of Oklahoma, Ph.D., 1963 Political Science, international law and relations University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA. GRADUATE COLLEGE SOME CAUSES OF THE KOREAN WAR OF 1950: A CASE STUDY OF SOVIET FOREIGN POLICY IN KOREA (1945-1950), WITH EMPHASIS ON SING-SOVIET COLLABORATION A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY JIN CHULL SOH Norman, Oklahoma 1963 SOME CAUSES OF THE KOREAN WAR OF I95 O: A CASE STUDY OF SOVIET FOREIGN POLICY IN KOREA (1945-1950), WITH EMPHASIS ON SINO-SOVIET COLLABORATION APPROVED BY DISSERTATION COMMITTEE ACKNOWLEDGMENT The writer chose this subject because the Commuaist strategy in Korea is a valuable case study of an instance in which the "cold war" became exceedingly hot. Many men died and many more were wounded in a conflict which could have been avoided if the free world had not been ignorant of the ways of the Communists. Today, many years after the armored spearhead of Communism first drove across the 38th parallel, 350 ,0 0 0 men are still standing ready to repell that same enemy. It is hoped that this study will throw light on the errors which grew to war so that they might not be repeated at another time in a different place. This dissertation covers the period from 19^5 to 1950. The writer has tried to present a true story of this period, and to prove the thesis accepted by the West that the "Communists carefully planned and executed an aggressive war in Korea." The inriter would like to make special acknowledgment to Professors Oliver E. Benson and Rufus G. Hall, Jr., for their constant assistance and encouragement. Personal gratitude is also extended to Mr. Robert T. Smith and Mr. Grosvener W. Pollard, III, Graduate Students, University of Oklahoma, for their generous assistance in correcting my manuscript. Finally, this dissertation is devoted to my wife, Yong Ja, without whose understanding, consideration and persistence the disser tation would have never appeared. Norman, Oklahoma 111 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES.......................................... vi LIST OF T A B L E S ............................................ vii Chapter I. INTRODUCTION: BACKGROUND OF KOREA .................. 1 Geopolitical Factors ........................... 1 Historical Factors ............................. 11 II. THE FAILURE OF THE SOVIET ATTEMPT TO CONTROL KOREA WITHOUT W A R .................................. 22 Division of Korea at the 38th P a r a l l e l ........ 23 Moscow Ag r e e m e n t ............................ 25 Negotiations Under the Moscow Agreement ........... 27 III. THE FAILURE OF THE UNITED NATIONS EFFORT TO UNITE KOREA ....................................... 40 The United Nations Effort to Unite Korea ......... 4o Two Koreas: The Republic and the People's Republic . 50 IV. THE FOUNDATIONS OF NORTH KOREAN ARMED ATTACK ON SOUTH KOREA: I ................................ 59 Early Soviet Occupation Policies in North Korea.. 59 Soviet Troop Withdrawal from North Korea ......... 65 Withdrawal of American Troops and Power Vacuum in South K o r e a ............................ 72 V. THE FOUNDATIONS OF NORTH KOREAN ATTACK ON SOUTH KOREA: I I ................................... 76 Military Foundation ............................. 76 Diplomatic Foundation ........................... 80 Political Foundation ........................... 88 Communist Guerrilla Warfare and Border Raids .... 96 VI. HEW BALANCE OF POlfER IN THE FAR EAST IN FAVOR OF THE COMMUNISTS................................. 102 Post-War Soviet Foreign Policy Prior to 19^9 .... 102 Formation of the Sino-Soviet Alliance ............ I08 Unpublished Parts of the Sino-Soviet Agreements . lib IV Page VII. MID-CRISIS AND PRE-WAR: I ................... 12? The Soviet Preparation............ ............ 127 Reorganization of the Communist Party of Japan . I36 Chinese Communist Preparation for Invasion of F o r m o s a ...................................... 1^7 VIII. MID-CRISIS ARD PRE-WAR: I I ..........................152 The Final Buildup of Armed Strength............... 153 The Final Pressure of PsychologicalWarfare ........ 158 North Korean Communists Demand South Korea's Peaceful Surrender or W a r ...................... 16 I IX. ARMED AGGRESSION ON SOUTH KOREA, AND THIRDPOWER INTERVENTION...................................... 173 Armed Attack by North Korean Forces.................173 The United States Intervention .................. I80 The United Nations Intervention .................. l84 Chinese Communist Intervention .................. I90 X. CONCLUSIONS.........................................203 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................. 242 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Strategical location of Korea in the center of the Far E a s t ............................... 4 2. Comparison of the Communist Party of Japan prior to June "J, 1950 and post-June 'J, 1950 .... l46 3 . Approximate deployment of selected Chinese Communist Armies ............................. 151 4. Approximate deployment of the North Korean forces in the vicinity north of the 38th p a r a l l e l ......................................156 5 . Operations in Korea (June^ 1950) .................. 177 6 . The US Western Pacific defense l i n e ................ I83 7 . Approximate deployment of Chinese Communist Armies (l950).......................... 200 VI LIST OF TABLES Table . Page 1. Newly organized Korean Worker's P a rty......... 9I+ 2. Strength of the National Defense A r m y ............ 21b 3 . Potential Resources of Korea ................. 219 4. Armed Strength of the Soviet Far Eastern Army . 222 Vll SOME CAUSES OF THE KOREAN WAR OF 1950: A CASE STUDY OF SOVIET FOREIGN POLICY IN KOREA (1945 -I9 5 0 ), WITH EMPHASIS ON SINO-SOVIET COLLABORATION CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND OF KOREA Geopolitical Factors To the student of International relations, Korea offers an interesting case study in the importance of geopolitical factors. Much of Korea's history can he explained by her geographical position. In pre modern times, during the period when she was known as the "hermit king dom, " Korea's geographical position contributed to her extreme isolation from the outside world. Yet even in her earliest days she was the bridge linking Japan to the mainland of Asia. First, there were the many mi grations through Korea to Japan, and then the Mongols used Korea as a stepping-stone in their attempt to conquer Japan. Later, the Japanese general, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, invaded Korea in the sixteenth century as the first phase of his plan to conquer China. In modern times, situated between the China-Russia-Japan triangle, Korea's strategic position had involved the country in the power relations of all the great powers in 1 ■ 2 the Far East,' including the United States.^ Geography Geographically, Korea, which lies within the north temperate zone between the ]^th and 43rd parallels of latitude, juts out from main land Asia with the Sea of Japan on its east coast and the Yellow Sea on its west coast. Southern Manchuria lies along its northwest frontier for about 500 miles, the border being formed by the Apnok (Yalu) River, Paektu (white Head) Mountain, and the Tuman River. For about twenty miles on its northeast frontier, it is separated from the Soviet Maritime Province by the Tuman River near its mouth, a scant eighty miles from the Russian port of Vladivostock. On the south it is separated from the Japanese islands of Honshu and Kyushu by the narrow, island-studded Strait of Korea, only 120 miles in width.^ The Korean peninsula covers some 85,000 square miles (northern Korea, 47,000 square miles; southern Korea 38,000 square miles) which is almost equal to the area of Great Britain and over half that of Japan. At its widest point from east to west it is I70 miles, at its longest distance from north to south 46o miles, and it has a coastline of about 5,400 miles.^ ^C. W. Seems, Hulbert's History of Korea, Vol. I (New York: Hil lary House Publishers, Ltd., I962 ), gh'es a good summary of Korean history in regard to its geopolitical significance. ^Chiho Yi, et al., "Geography," Korea, Its Land, People and Culture of All Ages (Seoul, Korea: Hakwonsa, Ltd., I960 ), p. 1; V7 T. Zaichikov, Geography of Korea, trans. Albert Parry (New York: Institute of Pacific Relations, 1952),p. 2. ^Department of State, Background Summary of Korea (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1947), p. 2. See also Shannon McCune and Arthur Robinson, "Notes on Physiographic Diagram of Tyosen," The Geo graphical Review, XXXI (October, l$4l), pp. 653 -5 8 . 3 Off the vest and south coast there are over 3,000 islands, the largest and most notable of these, laying 55 miles due south of Korea, is Cheju Island. Because of its use as a military base during World War II, it is con sidered to be of great strategic value as a Gibraltar of the Western Pacific.^ The interior of Korea is largely mountainous, a range extending from north to south. The southern part of the country is fairly level, and contains most of the arable land and the largest population. With most of the navigable rivers on its western side, or in the south, and with almost all good harbors on the east and south coasts, Korea