Post-WWII Korea Divided September 1948 – USSR installs a communist government in North Korea Promoted the idea of reuniting Korea June 25, 1950 – North Korea invades South Korea

The Decision for War Surprise attack (?) U.S. believed insurgency would be the option used by North Korea U.S. troops were pulled out North Korea encouraged by USSR –Get U.S. to move troops from Berlin –Believed U.N. would not act

The U.N. Steps In Pressured by the U.S. USSR boycotts U.N. U.N. recognized Nationalist China as the official government of China (not the Republic of China) The Republic of China was not recognized at all U.N. Security Council votes to use military action

Comparison of Militaries North Korea – 135,000 troops –Trained by Chinese and Soviets (WWII) –8 full divisions –Artillery regiment –Armored Brigade (120 Soviet T-34 tanks) –180 Soviet aircraft South Korea – 95,000 troops –Limited training (U.S. advisors) –8 divisions (only 4 at full strength) –No tanks –Only 89 howitzers –15 days worth of supplies

ATTACK North Korea quickly took over 38 th parallel Moved along west side of the Korean peninsula Sights on Seoul (3 days) South Korean troops abandoned Seoul

Night of the 25 th and 26th U.S. calls for Security Council meeting Truman instructs MacArthur (Tokyo) to supply ROK forces with aid and to evaluate the situation Truman orders the 7 th Fleet to Taiwan Air Force on alert in Japan U.S. troops storm into Pusan

Problems U.S. military was small Why? Where was the bulk of U.S. troops? Equipment = leftovers from WWII Military not trained well at that time for combat

Air Power U.S. B-29 v. MIG-15

Major Issues Gen. Douglas MacArthur – Extend war into China President Truman – stick to the U.N. Charter – “Re-establish the 38 th Parallel” MacArthur fired after going to the press Matthew Ridgeway replaces MacArthur Go from a being mobile troops to dug in troops

Working for an End of the War 1 st Armistice meeting plans– July 1-10, 1951 July 21, 1951 – first meeting –Four Languages (English, Korean, Chinese, Russian) Kaesong – town in “no-man’s land” July 26 – a point of “fixation” was met North Korea – begins to stall Moving troops August 22 nd meetings end

Negotiations Resume October 25, 1951 May 1952 – Issues over repatriation deadlock February 1953 – U.S. suggests the exchange of sick and wounded prisoners (no response from the North)

Armistice 10:00 a.m. July 27, 1953 All firing will stop in “exactly 12 hours Fighting was heavy up to that time (provoked by the North)

Results 38 th established War is not “officially over” U.N. casualties –550,000 –95,000 dead U.S. casualties –142,091 –33,629 dead Enemy casualties –1,500,000 –2/3 of these casualties were Chinese