1. Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum National Archives & Records Administration Abilene, Kansas

2. “Korea: Eisenhower’s First Cold War Crisis”

3. “Of the manifold problems confronting me early in 1953 none required more urgent attention than the war in Korea.” —Dwight D. Eisenhower Mandate for Change: 1953 – 1956

4. What to do about Korea?

5. Eisenhower Immediate Post-WW II 1946 – 1948: U.S. Army COS 1948 – 1952: Columbia University Jan. 1951 – May 1952: NATO

6. Where was Dwight D. Eisenhower? June 1950 – Columbia University April 1951 – NATO, Paris Spring 1952 – Will he or won’t he? May 1952 – Retires from active military June 4, 1952 – Announces candidacy

7. July 1952 – Wins Republican nomination July 1952 – John Eisenhower to Korea October 24, 1952 – “I Shall Go to Korea” November 4, 1952 – Election Day Nov. 29-Dec. 5, 1952 – Trip to Korea

8. 1952 Presidential Campaign Republican Platform  Korea  Communism  Corruption

9. “I shall make that trip. Only in that way could I learn how best to serve the American people in the cause of peace.” “I Shall Go to Korea” Dwight D. Eisenhower Republican Nominee October 24, 1952 Detroit, Michigan

10. November 4, 1952 Mandate from the American people—end the fighting in Korea.

11. November 4, 1952 American casualties in Korea: 21,000 killed 91,000 wounded 13,0000 missing

12. Primary Issues A Showdown with Communism Reunification of Korea 38 th Parallel: Maintain or expand? Limited War versus Total War Escalation to WW III

13. Issues, cont’d Bombing and napalm in North Korea Relationships with allies Communists impossibly dug in Atomic weapons? Repatriation of N. Korean and Chinese POWs

14. TRIP TO KOREA November 29 – December 5, 1952

15. President Rhee and President Elect Eisenhower

16. “Outdoor Luncheon” with troops of the 15 th Infantry

17. Review of ROK troops

18. “The front ran roughly along the 38 th Parallel, with the capital city, Seoul, included in the Allied lines. The forward elements of both armies were located in mountainous country..... We used light airplanes to fly along the front....” —Eisenhower Mandate for Change: 1953 - 1956

19. “My conclusion as I left Korea was that we could not stand forever on a static front and continue to accept casualties without any visible results. Small attacks on small hills would not end this war.” —Eisenhower Mandate for Change: 1953 - 1956

20. “Eisenhower’s visit to the Korean front and his own assessment of the war led him to the conclusion that the public was tiring of the war and probably would not continue to support it.” —Herbert Brownell Advising Ike

21. SyngmaS Syngman Rhee, President, Republic of Korea

22. Reunite North and South Korea no matter what the cost—even atomic weapons were on the table. Kim Il Sung—same viewpoint

23. Douglas MacArthur as Supreme Commander, U.N. Forces in Korea, 1950 - 51

24. Absolutely opposed to a negotiated settlement. Willing to consider use of atomic weapons and to bomb strategic Chinese targets.

25. General Mark Clark, UN Commander, Korea

26. Opposed to a negotiated settlement Willing to use extensive bombing and napalm—and did use them—in the north despite widespread civilian casualties.

27. Senator Taft, Ohio (R) Favored bombing China and bringing in Nationalist Chinese forces to invade China.

28. John Foster Dulles, Sec. of State

29. Korea is where the free world must take a stand to oppose the spread of Communism. Did not favor a negotiated end to the Korean War.

30. General James Van Fleet

31. So, what should President Eisenhower do about the Korean War?