Korean War

Korean War

Part I

Labeling

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

Soviet Union

China

Korea

Japan

Additional Context

Occupation of Korea

• Japan occupied Korea since 1910.

• When Japan was defeated in WWII, Japanese forces in Korea surrendered.

• Korea was by US forces in the South and Soviet forces in the North.

• A temporary dividing line of the 38th parallel was established.

• That dividing line is still in place today.

Multiple Choice

Which country annexed Korea in 1910?

• The Soviet Union

• Japan

• China

• France

Multiple Choice

Which of the following powers occupied the northern part of the Korean peninsula AFTER WWII?

• China

• The United States

• The Soviet Union

• Japan

Multiple Choice

Which of the following countries occupied the southern half of the Korean peninsula after WWII?

• the United States

• The Soviet Union

• China

• Japan

According to this document, what was one reason that the shared control of the Korean peninsula was a problem?

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Let's go to the documents

Open Ended

Initially the stated goal for the Korean peninsula was to have a single government for all of the Korean peninsula. Given what you know about the early years of the Cold War, do you forsee any problems with the US and the USSR agreeing on what a new government of Korea would look like? Explain.

Draw

Cirlce the 38th parallel line that divides Korea

Poll

Which best describes your understanding so far?

• I totally get it!

• I have a few questions.

• I'm mostly lost.

• Wait, are we doing something?

--After the elections in the South, the Soviets support the formation of a communist government in North Korea under Kim Il-Sun (grandfather of the current leader of North Korea)

​Soviet Zone

--An election is held in 1948 and US-educated Syngman Rhee is elected.

US Occupation Zone

So what's next?

Dropdown

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Select answer

was the Soviet supported communist leader of the northern half of the Korean Peninsula.

1949

• By mid 1949, the two Koreas are recognized as separate countries.

• US and Soviet occupying forces withdraw.

• Mao and the Chinese Communists defeat the Nationalists.

• The Soviets detonate their first atomic bomb.

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Additional Context 1949

1950--the war begins

North Korean forces invade

Let's take a look

• Kim approached the Soviet Union about invading the South.

• Stalin approved and said they would offer supplies but would not intervene directly.

• On June 25, 1950 approximately 90,000 North Korean troops armed with Soviet weapons cross the border.

The UN sends forces

• The Soviet Union was boycotting the UN Security Council, so the Council passed a resolution condemning the invasion AND the UN agreed to send troops to assist South Korea.

• The United States clearly had the most forces.

• Truman never asked for Congressional approval for war and referred to the Korean War as a UN "police action."

So how did it go?

​Let's look at the map

Our Focus Decision Point: Should the US/UN cross the 38th parallel?

Open Ended

If you were President Truman, do you think that you would try to cross the 38th parallel when you had the advantage to try and drive the communists out of the Korean peninsula? Explain your thinking.