Politics in Japan

 
Indeed, the principles of Containment were central to Truman’s decision in the summer of 1950. Containment had proved a success in Europe, most notably in Greece and Berlin, thus America decided to once again use its power and influence, especially economic, to defend the independence of countries threatened by the expansion of Communism. America were under the assumption that North Korea’s leader Kim Il Sung was simply a puppet of Moscow, and thus in halting Kim Il Sung, Stalin would have been taught a lesson.
 
Truman’s response to the invasion of North Korea, was also shaped by what had been learnt in the pre second world war days, where aggression by Germany in Europe and Japan in the East, was met with Allied appeasement and thus causing a world war. With Stalin being spoken of in the same breathe as Hitler, America were encouraged not to let this aggression go unchecked, otherwise another world war may be on the hands of America. Also post-war events in Europe had highlighted the real dangers of the expansionist Communists. Their methods of election rigging, intimidation and murder, had seen Europe “trampled underfoot” by the USSR. Thus if Truman was able to counter the Soviet-inspired thrust in Korea, he would tip the balance back in the favour of the West, the protectors of democracy and freedom.
 
As well as the Communists having huge success in Europe, they were also making huge waves in the East in 1949-50. It emerged that the USSR had developed and tested an A bomb, which came as a great shock to the Truman administration. The Americans had lost their upper hand on nuclear arms, they once held on the Soviets, and overnight fear of the USSR intensified immensely within America. Truman realised that with the USSR being on a nuclear par with America and with rumours of them planning to develop an H-bomb, America’s credibility as a super power was threatened. Anxiety hit the administration, fearing that allies the USA once had, would re-asses their...