THE KOREAN WAR, 1950-
1953
“THE FORGOTTEN
WAR”
A. CAUSES
1. POLITICAL-COMMUNIST EXPANSION-DOMINO
THEORY -TRUMAN MUST TAKE A STAND!
a. CHINA (1949) MAO ZEDONG-COMMUNIST REV.
b. DIVISION OF KOREA- 38th PARALLEL
NORTH-COMMUNIST, KIM IL SUNG,
PYONGYANG
SOUTH-DEMOCRATIC, SYNGMAN RHEE,
SEOUL
BATTLE GROUND FOR THE US & USSR.
2. MILITARY- “THE SPARK” -NORTH KOREA INVADES
SOUTH KOREA ON JUNE 25, 1950
B. THEORIES ON THE CAUSES
1. WAR BEGINS BECAUSE USSR LAUNCHES A
PROBE, TO TEST OUT AND SEE IF THE
AMERICANS WILL RESPOND.
2. USSR WAS TRYING TO SET A TRAP FOR
CHINA SO THEY WOULD BE HUMILIATED BY THE
U.S.
3. CHINA WANTED TO SHOW THE WORLD THEY
WERE A STRONG COMMUNIST NATION.
4. KIM IL SUNG WANTED TO REUNITE THE
KOREAN PENINSULA.
5. AMERICA UNWITTINGLY PROVOKED THE
ATTACK
“THE ATTACK UPON KOREA
MAKES IT PLAIN BEYOND
ALL DOUBT THAT
COMMUNISM HAS
PASSED BEYOND THE
USE OF SUBVERSION TO
CONQUER INDEPENDENT
NATIONS AND WILL NOW
USED ARMED INVASION
AND WAR.”
-HARRY TRUMAN
C. KEY EVENTS
1. UN POLICE
ACTION-JUNE 27,
1950. FIRST
MILITARY USE OF
COLLECTIVE
SECURITY
2. 90% OF THE
TROOPS ARE
AMERICAN
3. PUSAN PERIMETER
4. INCHON LANDING
(SEPTEMBER 15,
1950)-
“MACARTHUR’S
MIRACLE”
TURNING POINT
DOUGLAS
MACARTHUR-TOTAL
WAR-LIBERATE ALL
OF KOREA
5. CHINA ENTERS
THE WAR (NOV.
25, 1950) 300,000
POUR ACROSS
THE YALU RIVER
6. STALEMATE FOR
2 YEARS
7. TRUMAN FIRES
MACARTHUR ON
APRIL 11, 1951
LIMITED WAR
TOTAL WAR
8. ARMISTICE- JULY 0F
1953
DID THE WAR REALLY END?
OUTCOMES
1. NORTH & SOUTH KOREA REMAIN DIVIDED
2. 54, 000 AMERICANS ARE KILLED
3. INCREASED FEAR OF COMMUNISM
4. CONTAINMENT WORKS
5. DEMOCRACY WAS PRESERVED IN SOUTH
KOREA
6. CHINA RECOGNIZED AS A WORLD POWER
7. FUTURE NUCLEAR THREAT FROM KIM JONG
IL