The outbreak of the Korean War tested the American policy of containment.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2024). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [4] The North crossed the 38th Parallel on 25 June after a series of border clashes.
2. [4] The North made rapid progress and Seoul fell to it.
3. [4] US troops arrived in July.
4. [4] The North defeated the Americans in the battle of Osan and pushed the Americans south.
5. [4] By September, UN forces were hemmed into a small corner of south-east Korea.
6. [4] UN forces recaptured Seoul and the North was retreating.
7. [6] MacArthur was dismissed because he disagreed with President Truman over what to do in Korea when the fighting reached stalemate around the 38th parallel. Truman was content to save South Korea but MacArthur wanted to continue the war and invade China. He even threatened to use nuclear weapons.
8. [2-3] MacArthur wanted to keep fighting and even invade China.
9. [2-3] MacArthur wanted to use nuclear weapons against China.
10. [2-3] Truman was worried that attacking China was too dangerous and might bring the Soviet Union into the war.
11. [2-3] MacArthur ignored Truman and threatened to attack China.
12. [2-3] Truman wanted to follow a policy of containment and not take aggressive action against the North.
13. [1] MacArthur was in command of UNO forces.
14. [10] Probably North Korea was the more successful. Although it had failed to reunify Korea it had pushed the US back to the 38th parallel and had gained vital support from China and the Soviet Union. The UN was undermined by US domination and North Korea remained communist.
15. [4-6] North Korea was quite successful in the war. At one point the UN and US forces were close to taking North Korea and creating a united and democratic Korea. This was the aim of the UN forces. This would have been a defeat for the North Koreans. However, helped by China, they managed to push the UN and US troops back and a communist North Korea was saved. Also, they had gained powerful allies in the form of China and the Soviet Union.
16. [4-6] In some ways it was a success for the USA. Early in the war North Korea had nearly overrun the whole of South Korea even capturing the capital Seoul. It looked as if the whole of Korea would become communist. However, UN and US troops then forced the North Koreans back to the 38th Parallel. The war ended with both sides where they had started at the 38th Parallel. Truman wanted to contain communism and this is what he achieved.
17. [2-3] North Korea's aim was to unite Korea under communism and it failed to do this.
18. [2-3] North Korea gained powerful allies.
19. [2-3] North Korea remained communist.
20. [2-3] The US contained communism.
21. [2-3] South Korea was liberated from communist forces by the US-led UN forces.
22. [1] The Korean War broke out in 1950.