Why the USSR Was to Blame for the Korean War

The bulk of the responsibility for the Korean War lies with the USSR. The USSR acted in a way which heightened suspicions. The North side of Korea was economically and militarily dependant on the USSR this put a strain on relations as it fed into the red scare currently occurring in America. Even when the USSR left Korea in 1949 it left behind a well trained and equipped army, with 135,000 men along with tanks and artillery. This was seen as a threat and as both sides were determined for a united Korea, each under there own control it was very provocative. This threat was increased In April 1950 when Stalin pledged his support for an invasion by agreeing to provide military equipment on the proviso that the victory will be decisive and further escalation will be impossible. From these actions it is apparent that the USSR’s challenging behaviour greatly increased the suspicion surrounding there occupation.

The USSR is to blame for the Korean War because they were openly resistant to compromise. This can be seen by there position on most issues, which in often aggressive. Stalin rejected Truman’s proposal of free elections for all of Korea using universal suffrage in august 1947 out of fear of a nationalist victory. The communists in the south boycotted the election and it was not permitted in the North. In the absence of free and fair elections the USSR set up the communist ‘democratic people’s republic of Korea’ in 1948 which shows signs of expansion and would definitely have heightened the tensions between the powers. Stalin saw a chance to continue the cold war and discomfort America, but ‘at arm’s length’ – without directly confronting the Americans.

Some historians blame the USSR for the Korean War because of there desire for ideological expansion. After Secretary of State Dean Acheson released a report of American foreign interests and it did not mention Korea, Stalin assumed that Korea would be an international conflict-free area to press communism. This attitude would support the Americans monolithic view of communism and there belief that it would spread like a ‘malignant parasite’ if left un-policed.

It’s also important to draw on relevant contextual factors of this period, The USSR successfully tested there atomic bomb in 1949 and some historians have inferred from this that the soviet union may have a renewed sense of confidence and thus feel capable of testing the Truman Doctrine by attempting to spread communism.