The Korean War

The Korean War

1950 to 1953

Before World War II China was in a civil war.

• Nationalists led by Jiang Jieshi (known in the U.S. as Chiang Kai-Shek)

• Communists led by Mao Zedong

Nationalist vs. Communists

• The United States (U.S.) supported the Nationalists.

• The Soviet Union (USSR) supported Mao and the Communists.

• In 1948, Mao's forces won and China fell to the Communists.

Multiple Choice

The Nationalists were supported by which country?

• The USSR

• The United States

• France

Multiple Choice

Whom did the Soviet Union (USSR) support?

• Jiang Jieshi

• Mao Zedong

U.S. Involvement in Korea

The focus of attention turned to the peninsula of Korea, separated from northeast China by the Yalu River. Once controlled by Japan, Korea had been divided into two independent countries by the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II. The dividing line was set at the 38th parallel. The Soviets installed a communist government and equipped the armed forces in North Korea. The United States provided smaller amounts of aid to noncommunist South Korea.

U.S. Involvement in Korea

• U.S. Forces remained in South Korea until June of 1949

• On June 25, 1950, without U.S. forces to stop them, North Korean forces armed with Soviet-supplied weapons attacked across the 38th parallel.

Multiple Choice

What was the border between North and South Korea?

• The Yalu River

• No Man's Land

• The 38th Parallel

U.S. Involvement in Korea

President Truman remembered that appeasement policy did nothing to stop Hitler in WWII. Therefore, he was determined to stop the communist North Koreans from taking over the entire Korean peninsula.

U.S. Involvement in Korea

The United Nations Security Council voted to provide assistance to South Korea. It was unanimous because China had just changed governments to a communist system and was not allowed to participate, and the Soviet Union was boycotting the Security Council because of it.

U.S. Involvement in Korea

• Truman received support from the U.N.

• He ordered U.S. troops to move from Japan over to Korea

Multiple Choice

What failure of World War II was President Truman trying to prevent in Korea?

• Dropping the atomic bombs on Japan

• The appeasement of Hitler

• Having Josef Stalin as an ally.

• Allowing North Korea to attack Pearl Harbor.

Multiple Select

How did the U.N. Security Council have a unanimous vote to help South Korea? (Choose 2)

• The Soviet Union was in favor of helping South Korea.

• The Soviet Union was boycotting the Security Council.

• China was not allowed on the Council at the time.

• China supported the South Koreans.

U.S. Involvement in Korea

• General Douglas MacArthur led the invasion at Inchon on September 15, 1950.

• By October 1950, the U.S. had driven North Korean forces back across the 38th parallel

U.S. Involvement in Korea

• By November, MacArthur pushed the N. Korean army all the way to the Chinese border.

• 300,000 Chinese soldiers entered the fight and pushed the U.N. forces back.

Multiple Choice

Who led the invasion force at Inchon?

• The United Nations

• The North Korean Army

• General Douglas MacArthur

Truman and MacArthur Disagree

General MacArthur wanted to invade China for a total victory. However, as Commander-in-Chief, President Truman felt that would be too costly and favored a limited war in which they only tried to achieve a few specific goals.

Truman and MacArthur Disagree

General MacArthur wrote a letter attacking the President's policies. The letter went public, so Truman fired MacArthur for insubordination. Despite being fired, MacArthur was seen as a national hero.

Stalemate at the 38th Parallel

By 1951, the U.N. and U.S. forces maintained a stable position at the 38th parallel. Nothing really changed after that. Fighting continued, but only resulted in a stalemate (no one winning or losing) lasted well into 1953.

Stalemate at the 38th Parallel

Former general, Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected President of the United States in November 1952. He took office the following January. He promised he would end the stalemate. When it looked like peace talks were not working, he suggested the use of nuclear weapons. Eisenhower's warning, coupled with the death of Josef Stalin were enough to convince the communists to back down.

Multiple Choice

In January 1953 _________ __ _____________ became President of the United States.

• John F. Kennedy

• Harry S. Truman

• Douglas MacArthur

• Dwight D. Eisenhower

Multiple Choice

Whose death convinced the Communists to back down?

• Stalin

• Truman

• MacArthur

• Mao

Peace?

• On July 27, 1953, North and South Korea agreed to a cease fire.

• There was no victory for either side

• There was no treaty

• As of 2021, that cease fire is still in effect.

• Korea remains divided at the 38th parallel

Long-Term Effects

• N. Korea remains a communist dictatorship today

• Truman committed troops to a conflict without a declaration of war from Congress.

• Military spending increased to half of the federal budget by 1960.

• SEATO (Southeast Asian Treaty Organization) formed with the help of the U.S.

• Many often refer to the Korean War as "the forgotten war".

Multiple Choice

When did the Korean War end?

• 1953

• It did not actually end. They merely agreed to a cease fire.

Multiple Choice

When did Congress declare war on the North Koreans?

• 1950

• 1951

• 1952

• They never did. Truman committed troops to the conflict without a formal declaration.

Open Ended

Why do you think that the Korean War is often referred to as "the forgotten war"?