New
New
Year 11
AQA

Outbreak of the Korean War

I can explain the causes and development of the Korean War.

New
New
Year 11
AQA

Outbreak of the Korean War

I can explain the causes and development of the Korean War.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. North Korea was communist and South Korea was capitalist.
  2. North Korea invaded South Korea in June 1950.
  3. American-led UN forces intervened to defend South Korea.
  4. UN forces crossed the 38th parallel and entered into North Korea.
  5. The UN campaign in North Korea triggered China's entry into the war.

Common misconception

China and the USSR fought alongside North Korea from the beginning of the Korean War.

China and the USSR supported the North Korean invasion but did not participate. China only joined the war at a later stage.

Keywords

  • Reunification - process in which a country that was divided is joined together again as one country

  • Domino Theory - belief that if one country became communist, others near it would more easily become communist too

  • Escalate - to become or make something become greater or more serious

  • Stalemate - a situation in which neither group involved in a conflict can win or get an advantage

Before completing Task C, ask students to make a simple 6 bullet point timeline of events from the Korean War. Specify that these should be in chronological order. This will give students a skeleton for their written account and allow them to focus more on the links between events.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match these leaders to their countries.
Correct Answer:Mao Zedong,PRC

PRC

Correct Answer:Joseph Stalin,USSR

USSR

Correct Answer:Harry Truman,USA

USA

Q2.
How did Mao justify his 'leaning to one side' stance?
He thought this would lead to China being a super power.
He thought this would lead to a stronger economy.
Correct answer: He thought that capitalist states would always be enemies of communism.
Q3.
How many people lived in communist states by 1949?
over 600 million
over 700 million
Correct answer: over 800 million
over 900 million
Q4.
Write the missing word. An is an agreement between countries or political parties to work together to achieve something.
Correct Answer: alliance
Q5.
Why did the US decide not to recognise Mao's communist government?
Correct answer: Truman did not want to appear as soft.
Truman did not want to ally with the PRC.
Correct answer: Truman did not want the USSR to become stronger.
Truman did not believe that Mao could lead the PRC.
Q6.
What is the Domino Theory?
Correct answer: The theory that more countries would fall to communism if one led the way
The theory that more countries would turn to capitalism
The theory that more countries would be hostile to the US

6 Questions

Q1.
When did North Korea invade South Korea?
1940
Correct answer: 1950
1960
Q2.
Which countries supported North Korea's invasion of South Korea?
Britain
Correct answer: PRC
USA
Correct answer: USSR
Q3.
Why did Truman decide to support South Korea?
Correct answer: domestic pressure
defend communism
Correct answer: concerns over further invasions
concerns over American businesses
Q4.
What is the process in which a country that was divided is joined together again as one country?
Correct Answer: reunification
Q5.
Why did China enter the Korean War in 1950?
Correct answer: They did not want Korea to become non-communist.
They did not want North Korea's leader to remain in power.
Correct answer: They did not accept a US army so close to their border.
Q6.
What is the term for a situation in which neither group can win or gain advantage?
checkmate
Correct answer: stalemate
proximate

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