The Korean War 1950- 1953

Leading up to 1950Marshall Plan 1947Truman Doctrine 1947Berlin Blockade/Airlift 1948-1949Soviets obtain Nuclear weapons in 1949Chinese Revolution in 1949- communistDuck and Cover 1950McCarthyism : late 1940s-late 1950sPolicy of ContainmentKorea: first major battle fought on grounds of

containment

Japanese Territory 1945

War under Japan1931- Japan begins expandingoil embargo on Japan by Americans- led to

Pearl Harbour“death before surrender”What else do we know? (“Island Hopping”,

Kamikazee)The Pacific

Lead up in KoreaBefore end of WWII: controlled by Japan

since 1910August 1945: USSR invades in North KoreaShortly after: US enters South Korea to deter

communism in southJapan surrenders to USSR in North, US in

SouthAllies promise Korean independence

Lead up in KoreaEnd of WWII: Korean Peninsula divided

“temporarily” at 38th Parallel1946- 38th Parallel becomes more rigidNorth- Communist (supported by USSR)

Kim Il Sung “Democratic Peoples Republic”South- Democratic (supported by US)

Syngman Rhee “Republic of Korea”America supported Rhee and began

withdrawing troopsEach government hoped to unify Korea under

it’s own rule

And War Breaks OutJune 25, 1950 North Korea strikes strategic positions and

progresses towards SeoulSouth Korea ill prepared to defend themselvesUN Security Council votes (9-0)

Invasion by North Korea: “breach of peace”USSR not in security council (left in protest for

China)Membership of the Security Council

Truman names MacArthur to led UN forces

MacArthur

America in Korea

MacArthur dismissed by Truman in 1951 for disagreement in policy

15 Nations in total join to form UN forcesAmerica never formally declared war on Korea:

“police action”Truman: "communism has passed beyond the

use of subversion to conquer independent nations and will now use armed invasion and war."

(Note: blames “communism,” not Soviets)Truman makes promises to protect in future

French-Indo China (would later lead to Vietnam War)

Cease fire eventually brings war to close by 1953

54 000 American troops die in Korea!

Korean War Memorial

Korea todayStill dividedNorth Korea still communist under Kim Jung

IlNorth Korea todayKorea today