1. Very important in understanding Korea today.
The Korean War
Very important in understanding Korea today.

2. Write down your answers.
1. What was the Iron Curtain?
2. Describe the Berlin Airlift.
3. Define NATO.
4. Define Warsaw Pact.

3. Korean Division
Korea was split after WWII because it had been controlled by Japan.
It was split along the 38th parallel, with the Soviet Union backing the North, and the United States backing the South.

4. Kim Il Sung, Communist Dictator Syngman Rhee- Dictator, noncommunist.
The two leaders
Kim Il Sung, Communist Dictator
Syngman Rhee- Dictator, noncommunist.

5. The Truman Doctrine
Stop the SPREAD of communism
Known as CONTAINMENT
The idea is that you can’t eradicate communism, but you must stop it from spreading.

6. The War
The North Korean Leader, Kim Il Sung, wanted to unite the Korean peninsula.
In the Spring of 1950, he moves his troops into the South.
They soon have pushed through all the way to the city of Pusan.

7. United States joins the War.
In September of 1950, US troops land in Inch’on, which is North of Pusan.
They cut off the supply lines to the North Koreans, and the North Koreans who were South of Inch’on surrendered.

8. United States Scores big victories.
They are able to push the North Koreans all the way up to the Yalu River, on the border of China.

9. China gets involved
With the help of Chinese troops, North Korean forces are able to push the United States back down to around the 38th Parallel.

10. Stalemate
The fighting turns into a stalemate, with neither side gaining much land.
An Armistice is signed in 1953, agreeing to end fighting.
The DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) is established along the 38th parallel.
No peace treaty was ever signed.

11. Development of the 2 Koreas.
The South developed very well, similar to West Germany
The North remained under communist dictatorships and has remained extremely isolated and poor.

12. Who was in charge