History of China from 1600 to 1987 - Page 15

History of China: A College Paper By Paul Noll

Q. War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea

In June of 1950, powerful forces of North Korea attacked the South Korean forces. Within a few weeks, the North Korean forces had pushed the South Korean forces to a tiny area around Pusan. By an ironic coincidence, the USSR boycotted the UN over the council's refusal to seat the PRC delegation in place of Taiwan when the call came to vote on a resolution for going to the aid of South Korea. The UN quickly authorized the assistance and fifteen nations including the United States, Great Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, The Philippines, Canada, Greece and Turkey answered the call.

The U.S., fearing that China might also use the occasion to attack Taiwan, ordered the U.S. Seventh Fleet to patrol the Taiwan Strait. After initial defeats, in late August the UN forces began to win major victories. The UN forces pushed into North Korea and on the Chinese border along the Yalu River. In October the Chinese army commanded by Marshal Peng Dehuai, pushed into North Korea to combat the UN forces. Finally, in July 1953, the UN and China signed an armistice after casualties reached 160,000 (54,000 dead) for the U.S., 400,000 for South Korea, 600,000 for North Korea, and 950,000 for China. China lost 100,000 in the last month of the war.

As a result of the war, China drew closer to the Soviet Union, which appreciated China's loyalty to the Soviet Bloc. The Soviets made large amounts of military aid available although China had to pay for the aid. The CCP continued to grow at a steady pace rising to 1 million in 1945, 2 million in 1947, 3 million in 1948, 4 million in 1949 and 5 million in 1950. A campaign to expel all foreigners and confiscate foreign business began in 1950 and by the end of 1950 none remained in China. The Chinese required all Chinese Christians to register in the Patriotic Three Self-Movement Church. The CCP began a movement to rid itself of spies and "bad elements" arresting some 150,000 people and executing more than 28,000 between late 1950 and late 1951. The Public Security Police required everyone over the age of 15 to have a residence permit and get permission to move somewhere else. A campaign of the "Anti Five" (corruption and graft) netted more than 210,000 denunciations and eventually self-criticisms.