1. Korea: A Land Divided by War
WORLD HISTORY READERS
Level 4-⑨
Korea: A Land Divided by War

2. Why did North Korea and South Korea fight?
Two Koreas
When was the Korean War?
The Korean War lasted from 1950 to 1953.
Why did North Korea and South Korea fight?
The two sides wanted different forms of government for Korea.
The Korean War destroyed the city of Seoul.

3. A Land Controlled by Other Countries
What form of government did the USSR have?
Which country controlled North Korea after World War II?
The USSR
The USSR was communist.
The government owned land and companies and ran them for the benefit of all the people.
The 38th parallel
What form of government did the USA have?
Which country controlled South Korea after World War II?
The USA was capitalist.
The people could own land and companies with very little government control.
The USA

4. The Korean War Who controlled Seoul three days after the war began?
How did the USSR help North Korea?
North Korea
The USSR helped train the North Korean soldiers and gave North Korea tanks, airplanes, guns, and other equipment.
Kim Il Sung led the North Koreans.
How did the USA help South Korea?
The USA sent soldiers to help fight in the war.

5. What percentage of South Korea did North Korea control by September of 1950?
The Conflict
North Korea controlled 90% of South Korea.
What were some of the problems South Korea faced?
Most of the American soldiers fighting with the South Korean soldiers were young and did not have much training.
The South Korean army was not as well-trained as the North Korean army.
Their weapons were not as good, either.
South Korea did not have enough soldiers, so the government had to force some men to join the army.
What did US General Douglas MacArthur do?
He went by sea to Incheon.
This was far behind the North Korean lines, and it surprised them.
He won control of Seoul on September 25, and the North Koreans were pushed back.

6. China in the Korean War What happened in October 1950?
In October 1950, the Chinese government sent soldiers to help North Korea.
China sent three experienced generals to Korea.
Chinese soldiers in Korea
How many Chinese soldiers fought in the Korean War?
What was the significance of China entering the war?
By entering the war, China made certain that unifying Korea by force was no longer possible for South Korea and its allies.
Over one million Chinese soldiers fought in the Korean War.

7. What was life like during the war?
2. It was difficult to find anywhere safe. People got caught in the fighting. They had to move many times in order to get away from the bombs and the soldiers. The crowds of travelers trying to get away from the fighting were confusing and dangerous.
Life During the War
1. The war was the worst for the ordinary Korean people. Cities were completely destroyed.
Hundreds of thousands of people were killed. Often, people left their homes and walked to other towns trying to get away from the fighting. Farmers could not grow food because of the war. Many people died of hunger.
What was life like during the war?
Koreans on boats trying to escape the war
Looking for coal to try to stay warm
3. Many families got separated and could not find each other. Children lived on the streets with no parents. Everyone was just trying to survive. People were captured or killed. Others starved.
Some people drowned trying to cross the Han River. Others froze to death in winter. It was a terrible time.

8. How Did It End? Why did the fighting eventually stop?
Both armies knew that neither side could win. They knew it by July 1951.
Who signed the agreement?
When was an agreement signed?
China, North Korea, and the United Nations signed the agreement. South Korea did not.
An agreement was finally signed in 1953.
Military leaders met here to make the agreement.
Who won the war?
All South Korean men must serve about 2 years in the military.
All North Korean men must serve in their military at least 10 years .
No one. After all the fighting and killing, Korea was still divided into north and south. The border was still near the 38th parallel. North Korea still supported the USSR, and South Korea still supported the USA.

9. How are relations between North and South Korea today?
Still Two Koreas
How are relations between North and South Korea today?
1. There is still tension between North and South Korea. The border between the two countries is heavily guarded.
3. The two countries still do not trust each other even decades after they stopped fighting. Both sides have many spies.
2. Today, the two Koreas are very different countries. South Korea is rich and modern, and it is easy for foreigners to visit. North Korea is poor, and its government does not allow most people to leave or enter the country.

10. Vocabulary equipment n. bomb n.
things that are used for an activity or purpose
bomb n.
something used in war that explodes to damage places or kill people

11. Vocabulary unify v. alongside prep. to bring together; to combine
next to; beside

12. Vocabulary spy n. starve v.
a person secretly trying to find out information about another person, country, etc.
starve v.
to die, or suffer greatly, from hunger

13. Vocabulary nuclear weapon n. drown v.
a powerful bomb that uses energy made by dividing the nucleus of an atom to cause an explosion
drown v.
to die because you are underwater and cannot breathe