DBWI: China Intervenes in the Korean War

During the final push in the Korean War that would ultimately wipe out the North Koreans, a major concern of President Truman was that China would intervene and save the North. Of course, this didn't happen, and the US won the war rather quickly. But what if it had? What would be the ramifications?
 
China gets a bloody nose. The USA was better geared and trained than them, it's a pretty clear stomp. They might give North Korea a little more time, but nothing more artillery won't solve.

This would have longer term consequences, but short term I don't see it changing much.
 
The chinese could and would overwhelm the allied advance with shear numerical superiority.

Thats why the UN forces publically announced that they would stop at the Yalu river, thats why aid packages were sent to china as a bribe to keep them out, and thats why the Yalu river DMZ is one of the most fortified places in the world even to this day. The chinese were and are one of the great powers of the world. Thinking that we could just roll them over is a mistake.

Thats why we bribed them into neutrality.
 

Deleted member 94680

I take it we’re all discounting MacArthur’s claim that nuclear weapons would be used?
 
I take it we’re all discounting MacArthur’s claim that nuclear weapons would be used?

Yeah, because it gets ugly that way. The US dominated the nuclear game at that time, and if they were willing to go all in? China suffers hugely. Maybe they even somehow human wave all the way to the end of Korea, but armies vanish in nuclear sunshine and cities are devastated, so it's a short term victory that leads the Chinese to long term defeat.

So if MacArthr was right and the US did that, expect a lot of misery for China. Maybe the Soviets as well if they cry foul over this and join in.
 
I think the initial attack would be a big enough surprise to drive the UN away from the border,, but they'd eventually rally and push the Chinese army back, but Chinese reserves are bottomless enough to keep the US away fro the Yalu. a long, static trench warfare would result.
 
If China joined, I could see Russia joining. Korean War could quickly morph into WW3.

As it is China bloodied Russia three years after we secured Korea because Russians were claiming the steppes of Mongolia. Maybe Sino-Soviet relations stay more positive.
 
Without a victory during the Korean War, President Harry Truman would probably not have won the United States Presidential Election of 1952 against Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio. Heck, I don't think he would run for re-election at all. Truman was already in trouble from Joseph McCarthy's Red Scare and the exposure of corruption in his administration. If China joined the war and dragged it out longer, maybe General Dwight D. Eisenhower could run for President and win the primaries even against the establishment's Taft juggernaut. In OTL, Eisenhower was intimidated by the Truman's foreign policy victory in Korea, which was convincing enough for him to not run. Who the Democrats nominate is debatable. If Truman doesn't run, Vice President Alben W. Barkley would probably run, but he would be up against an open field of candidates.

I also remember reading about Truman's frustration with General Douglas MacArthur during the war, and how close he was to firing him. If the Chinese joined and prolonged the war, I think MacArthur would make enough provocative belligerent statements against China that would push Truman's buttons to their limits.
 
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Thomas1195

Banned
Without a victory during the Korean War, President Harry Truman would probably not have won the United States Presidential Election of 1952 against Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio
Taft's defeat in 1952 and then Henry Cabot Lodge's surprise victory in 1956 had cemented the dominance of the liberal wing of the GOP. You know, Lodge managed to anger every single Southern racist during his two-term presidency.

By 1976, the SOuthern racists and most other conservatives from both parties merged to form the American Conservative Party, which was led by Thurmond and Reagan, while Goldwater remained a Republican. It is currently the third party which dominates the Southern provinces. Fortunately, Northern states generally shunned them.

Maybe the U.N. forces would surrender and North Korea would win?
Just no, the US would certain retain South Korea even without using nukes. They still controlled the air and the sea.

During the final push in the Korean War that would ultimately wipe out the North Koreans, a major concern of President Truman was that China would intervene and save the North. Of course, this didn't happen, and the US won the war rather quickly. But what if it had? What would be the ramifications?
After all, Korea experienced huge economic success and became the Asian Dragon of the 1980s. Currently, it is the 8th largest economy in the world.
 
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