The Korean War The Forgotten War 1950 – 1953

Early Origins  Korea was ruled by Japan  After WWII it was divided into North & South Korea  By 1949, the U.S. began withdrawing troops while the Soviets increased supplies to North Korea to aid the invasion of South Korea

War Begins  June 25, 1950 North Korea invades the South  Truman fears repeating “appeasement” & demands support for containment  *1 st armed confrontation of the Cold War

Role of the United Nations  South Korea asks the U.N. for assistance  Due to the Soviet boycott & the position of China with Nationalist Taiwan, the Security Council agrees to help  The U.N. sends 15 nations (including the U.S., Britain & Canada)  Troops are led by General Douglas MacArthur

US & UN Pushed to Pusan

Korean War  By Sept 1950, the North controls the entire Korean peninsula except for Pusan  MacArthur designs an attack at Inchon where the South Koreans force half of the North Koreans to surrender & the rest to retreat (by attacking from Pusan in both directions)  Inchon is risky but successful & the South recaptures its capital at Seoul

U.N. & U.S. Push to China

China’s Involvement  U.N. troops continue to push north to the Yalu River (border of China)  China has warned that if the Yalu is breached, it will react [China is worried of U.S. influence in Asia]  Oct 1950 the Chinese enter & this becomes a war between China & the U.S.  The Chinese push troops South & recapture Seoul  Chinese unexpected entry turns the tide of the war

General MacArthur  MacArthur threatens the use of the atomic bomb (but Truman disagrees)  MacArthur goes to Congress (behind Truman’s back) > fired for disobedience  *[Despite the fact that the U.S. enters the war without a declaration of war by Congress]

M*A*S*H*  Mobile Army Surgical Hospital  *1 st used in the Korean War  Greatly reduced the casualties of war  Books, movie & TV series based on MASH units

End of the War  By 1952, the U.N. has Seoul & South Korea  A stalemate ensues (see-saw fighting) & by July 1953, a cease-fire is signed  Division remains at the 38 th parallel  Approximately 5 million die in this war  4 million Koreans & 54,000 Americans (a significant amount considering the short time period of the war)

Stalemate

Post War in North Korea  Kim Il Sung promotes collective farms  Development of nuclear weapons  Economic problems of shortages of food & energy  1996 troops enter demilitarized zone  Current issues??

Post War in South Korea  Syngman Rhee (disputes over election results) but backed by U.S.  South Korea prospers from U.S. aid  1960s develops industry & trade  s one of highest economic growth rates  U.S. maintains ~40,000 troops here