What would this mean in the wider world though? The Soviet Union would see its first real defeat.Blaine Hess said:The West wins. Korea is reunited under Sygman Rhee. Kim Il Sung is captured and hung. And they all lived happily ever after.
A meaningful Sino-Soviet War could be interesting ....Or, Stalin tries something in EuropeBlaine Hess said:We probably see the defeat in different places. As I understand it, Uncle Joe prodded the Chinese into intervention (not that they needed much prodding). If China stays out, the USSR/China alliance weakens much quicker. This would be much more devastating than loosing The Great Leader.
Wendell said:A meaningful Sino-Soviet War could be interesting ....Or, Stalin tries something in Europe
They ought to have become one right after the second World War in my opinion...Blaine Hess said:Dont think he could deal with both an adventure in Europe and defending against the Chinese together. Id say the Viet Minh are in deep trouble. Not much help from either Comunist Bloc heavyweight is available. Vietnam eventually becomes an independent republic.
The Chinese didn't send their troops in until the US forces can captured something like 95% of the country.Blaine Hess said:We probably see the defeat in different places. As I understand it, Uncle Joe prodded the Chinese into intervention (not that they needed much prodding). If China stays out, the USSR/China alliance weakens much quicker.
Michael B said:The Chinese didn't send their troops in until the US forces can captured something like 95% of the country.
Whilst it is unlikely that the USA would have agreed to terms, how about a Soviet strip in the north, say 10% of Korea and the Americans get the rest? The country is then administered on the same principles as Germany.
Come the eighties the newly industrialised Korea has a larger economy and the Great Leader hasn't the where withal to set up his Scud and bomb factories.
Indeed, until China's intervention in the Korean War, defending Taiwan wasn't a US priority. If Mao remains neutral as the US mop up North Korean forces (which would require definite guarantees that the US wouldn't next move into China itself), by 1951 an amphibious assault would be conducted against Taiwan, and considering the state of the KMT military machine back then, within a couple of months at most the island would be part of the PRC.Gustav Anderman said:What about the us/china /taiwan relations?
I heard that truman wanted to drop taiwan and recognize mainland chine before the chinese interferen.
Hendryk said:Indeed, until China's intervention in the Korean War, defending Taiwan wasn't a US priority. If Mao remains neutral as the US mop up North Korean forces (which would require definite guarantees that the US wouldn't next move into China itself), by 1951 an amphibious assault would be conducted against Taiwan, and considering the state of the KMT military machine back then, within a couple of months at most the island would be part of the PRC.
It could be the result of a tacit or even an explicit quid pro quo between China and the US: "We let you crush Northern forces in Korea, you let us crush KMT forces in Taiwan". Initially Taiwan wasn't seen as a "front" in the Cold War, but as an internal matter for China to settle; and much as the US let the USSR intervene as it wanted in Eastern Europe (Berlin 1953, Hungary 1956, etc.), it would have let China reclaim its rebellious island province.Redem said:Well I'm pretty sure that would if China would be to invade Taiwan in OTL they could get a atleast major chunk of the island (for a while at leat), but I doubt would have let the China (even if they might not see it as direct opposant) get a hold on Taiwan. U.S never really let any cold war front "idle"
One would wonders if this would cause other geoploitical situations in the region to be diverged.Hendryk said:Indeed, until China's intervention in the Korean War, defending Taiwan wasn't a US priority. If Mao remains neutral as the US mop up North Korean forces (which would require definite guarantees that the US wouldn't next move into China itself), by 1951 an amphibious assault would be conducted against Taiwan, and considering the state of the KMT military machine back then, within a couple of months at most the island would be part of the PRC.
Hendryk said:It could be the result of a tacit or even an explicit quid pro quo between China and the US: "We let you crush Northern forces in Korea, you let us crush KMT forces in Taiwan". Initially Taiwan wasn't seen as a "front" in the Cold War, but as an internal matter for China to settle; and much as the US let the USSR intervene as it wanted in Eastern Europe (Berlin 1953, Hungary 1956, etc.), it would have let China reclaim its rebellious island province.