By Spencer Farris, Tanya Foster,
Nick McGinley, Kathryn Schuchardt
What Was The Cause Of The
War?
The Korean War was the division of Korea
into North and South Korea. The North was
under Communist rule and the South was
Democratic. They both wanted to unite the
peninsula under their government. On June
25, 1950 North Korea finally decided to
take what they thought was rightfully theirs.
What Caused U.S. Involvement?
• The US was part of the United Nations at
the time.
• When North Korea invaded, South Korea
called the United Nations to their aid.
• After a vote to go to war at the UN
conference, President Truman sent troops
over.
Who Were the Key Leaders in the War
and What Role Did They Play?
• Kim Il Sung (Leader of Communist North Korea)
• Syngman Rhee (Leader of Capitalist South Korea)
• President Truman (President of US of A)
• Joseph Stalin (General Secretary of Communist
Party)
• Mao Zedung (Leader of Communist China)
• General MacArthur (American General)
• President Eisenhower (Another President of US of
A)
Kim Il Sung
• Communist
• Wanted to take over South Korea
• He developed a massive personality cult
around himself
• Ruled till his death in 1994
Joseph Stalin
• Leader of Communist Soviet Union
• Sent troops, weapons, vehicles and war
machines to North Korea
• Increased tension between USA and Soviet
Union
Mao Zedong
• Leader of Communist China
• Sent troops to North Korea
• Stopped the US from advancing at the 38th
Parallel
Syngman Rhee
• Leader of South Korea
• Tried to defend his country from
Communist rule
• President from 1948 to 1960
President Harry S. Truman
• President of USA
• Came into war as an ally of South Korea
• Part of United Nations
General Douglas MacArthur
• Served as Supreme Allied Commander
during most of the war
• Successfully led the invasion of Ichon
• Had many victories on the battlefield
Who Were the Soldiers?
• 5,720,000 American Soldiers served in the war
– (36,574 deaths)
• 2,834,000 of them were in the Army
• 1,177,000 of them were in the Navy
• 424,000 of them were in the Marines
• 1,285,000 of them were in the Air Force
What Were the Key Battles?
November 26 - December 2, 1950 (Deadliest
US week (KIA 3,628))
• 27 July 53 - Cease fire signed - fighting ends
12 hours later
• Battle of Inchon
• Battle of Bloody Ridge
• The Hadong Ambush
• Battle of Andong
• Battle of Pork Chop Hill
Battle of Inchon
• September 15-17 1950
>Amphibious assault
>40 to 1 troop ratio in favor of UN
>Later UN recapture of Seoul (nearby town)
severed North Korean Army supply lines
Battle of Bloody Ridge
• August 26-september 5 1951
> 10-day battle
>Assault made by 9th infantry of 2nd division
>UN victory (North Koreans retreat)
The Veterans
• 4.9 million Korean War veterans in the U.S.
• 4.5 million white (92 percent)
• 339,400 African American (7 percent)
• 30,400 American Indian (less than 1 percent),
Eskimo or Aleut
• 39,300 Asian or Pacific Islander (less than 1
percent)
• 35,000 of other races (less than 1 percent).
• There were an estimated 133,500 Hispanics (3
percent), who may be of any race
What was the Public Opinion?
The basic western opinion that was held by the majority of people during the war
portrayed Communism as the major threat against Democracy and what was often
referred to as „the free world“. The Soviet Union, the civil war of the Chinese
Communist party against the Guomindang, as well as the Soviet-Chinese treaty of
friendship and North Korea’s attack on South Korea were all seen as a consistent
aggressive strategy of International Communism, led by Moscow, aiming at
conquering the “free world.” Therefore, the U. S. came into the war to South
Korea’s aid in defense against the machine that threatened it’s life style, and
intervening in the Korean War was thus seen by the public as being part of a
damming strategy against the advance of Communism. Truman said on the subject
that "Communism was acting in Korea, just as Hitler, Mussolini and the Japanese
had ten, fifteen, and twenty years earlier. I felt certain that if South Korea was
allowed to fall Communist leaders would be emboldened to override nations closer
to our own shores. If the Communists were permitted to force their way into the
Republic of Korea without opposition from the free world, no small nation would
have the courage to resist threat and aggression by stronger Communist neighbors."
How Were Foreign Relations
Affected?
- The UN defended South Korea
- Korean peninsula split on 38th parallel
- Continued tention between U.S. and Soviets
- 2.5 mile (4 Km) Demilitarized zone established
between North and South Korea
Bibliography
• http://www.veteransinfo.net/Links/korean_war_statistics.htm
• http://www.landscaper.net/kortime.htm
• http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/american%20war%20c
asualty.htm
• http://techcenter.davidson.k12.nc.us/spring035/koreanwar.html
• www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAkorea.jpg
• www.landscaper.net/kortime.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Battles_of_the_Korean_Wa
r