Korean War

• At the end of WWII the nation of Korea which had been part of the Japanese empire was divided along the 38th

parallel into two countries, North and South Korea

•Soviet troop occupied the northern half•North Korea became part of the communist bloc

•U.S. forces took over the southern half• South Korea becomes a democratic republic.

Korean War

• On 25 June 1950, North Korea launched a surprise attackacross the 38th parallel.

• The U.S. joined the fight on behalf of the South Koreans with air strikes against the North and a blockade of the Korean coast.

• Within a few days of North Korea's invasion of SouthKorea the United Nations‘ (UN) started a "police action" against the aggressors to CONTAIN communism or stop its spread.

•Most Soviet and U.S. troops left Korea by June 1949 but -•the North Koreans launched a campaign of propaganda, sabotage, terrorism and guerrilla warfare in an effort to bring down the government in the South.

•At first the North Koreans were successful in over running most of South Korea

•Eventually U.N. forces launched a surprise attack and landed forces behind enemy lines.

•Surrounded, North Korean forces retreated back behind the 38th parallel

September 15, 1950 U.N. Forces

Take the Offensive and Surprise

the Enemy Inchon (1:32)

• In the following two months UN armies pushed swiftly through North Korea.

• Victory was achieved for the South, when China intervened openly, and the Soviet Union not-so-openly, on the side of their defeated fellow Communistneighbor.

• The UN was pushed back midway into South Korea.

• Early in the New Year, the Chinesearmy was contained and forced to retreat.

• By the middle of 1951, the front lines had stabilized near where the war started twelvemonths earlier.

• Negotiations began along with hopes that an early truce could be arranged.

• But this took two more frustrating years.

• During this time the U.S. Navy provided extensive air and gunfire support, a constant amphibious threat, relentless minesweepingand a large logistics effort.

• Finally, on 27 July 1953, with a new regime in the USSR and the stoppingof a final Communist offensive, negotiations concluded and fightingended.

• Korea was divided into Communist North Korea and Democratic South Korea at the 38 parallel.

• Since the war had never been declared, it was fitting that there should be no official ending, merely a suspensionof hostilities.

• The Cold War, considerably warmed up by the Korean experience, would maintain its costly existence for nearly fourmore decades.

Pair Share• When did the U.S. intervene militarily in

Korea?

• Why did the U.S. see the invasion of South korea by the North Koreans as a threat?

• How did the Korean War end?

• How did the war affect the U.S.?