The Korean War

Homework 1.Write a script for a radio broadcast similar to what was in the video, that details the course of the Korean War from beginning to end, and explains the impacts that resulted. 2.Your broadcast will run approximately 3 to 4 minutes in length and would be equal to 2 to 2.5 pages (double spaced, size 12 Times New Roman font). 3.This is not an assignment that requires your opinion; just hard facts, laid out in clear and simple terms. Refer to the presentation for a loose outline of the material, and your textbook and notes for a more in depth understanding of it.

Prelude to War in Korea A civil war in Korea between Communist North Korea and (barely) Democratic South Korea With U.S.S.R.’s backing, North Korea launches attack on South Korea who is aided by U.S. U.S. forces are sent in under the guise of a U.N. backed military action It was sanctioned as a U.N. action because U.S.S.R. was boycotting the U.N. (they had a security council veto) for refusing to admit Communist China

Chairman Mao Zedong announcing the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949

U.S. and U.N. Intervention South Korean and U.S. forces are pushed back to area around Pusan Gen. MacArthur launches attack at Inchon, 150 miles behind North Korean lines U.N. forces (South Korean and U.S., really) push North Korean army almost to the Chinese border The Chinese warn the U.S. that they will attack if U.S. tries to unify North/South Korea by force American officials disregard this warning

The Korean Demilitarized Zone right after the war ended in 1953 with North Koreans on the left, Americans on the right

China Steps In The U.N. forces push near the Chinese border Chinese launch counterattack on overextended U.N. forces This is one of the biggest military intelligence failures in U.S. history The Armistice Line near the original North/South Korea border is in effect on June 27, 1953

Korean War Effects at Home What does this mean for the U.S. back home? The Korean War take places less than 5 years after the end of WWII Having begun a population boom (What is this generation called?) and suburban resettlement, the U.S. is complacent on the home front The government views the spread of Communism in absolute terms It must be stopped anywhere and everywhere

Democracy vs. Communism Because the U.S. believed it had to stop communism from spreading, they find themselves propping up a profoundly undemocratic government in South Korea Basically, it was a lesser of evils decision The application of massive firepower in response to small problems like a single sniper resulted in the destruction of entire villages and their inhabitants to neutralize the threat

War in Korea: Diplomatic Impacts Gen. Curtis Le May estimates that Air Force bombings kill upwards of a million Koreans The Korean War legitimizes the U.N. as a world power while confirming the suspicions of NSC-68 (which were…) At the outset of the war, the U.S. orders the 7 th Fleet to protect the Nationalist Chinese in Taiwan (who were the Nationalists?) This leads to greater hostile tension with China for the next 20+ years

War in Korea: Diplomatic Impacts Seeing the spread of communism turn from politically to militarily induced, NATO pushes to rearm West Germany and other NATO allies U.S. forces are permanently stationed throughout European NATO countries The fear of another war, this time with the U.S.S.R., in Europe is great With the Soviets, the U.S. and Britain holding nuclear weapons, a deep seeded worry is prevalent across the globe

Homework (yay!) 1.Write a script for a radio broadcast similar to what was in the video, that details the course of the Korean War from beginning to end, and explains the impacts that resulted. 2.Your broadcast will run approximately 3 to 4 minutes in length and would be equal to 2 to 2.5 pages (double spaced, size 12 Times New Roman font). 3.This is not an assignment that requires your opinion; just hard facts, laid out in clear and simple terms. Refer to the presentation for a loose outline of the material, and your textbook and notes for a more in depth understanding of it.