1. THE KOREAN WAR

2. Setting the Scene
“America’s forgotten war”
Americans struggled to push
back the Communists, who
had made huge advances
Both sides dug into their
positions
“sitting war”

3. Roots
 Chinese Civil War
 Foreign powers exerted influence on and
held some small possessions of Chinese
territory
 Japan and Germany were involved
 Japan got control of German possessions
there after WWI, increasing Japanese
power in China
 China called for a stronger, more
independent country
Democracy, nationalism, or
communism

4. Nationalist Party
Nationalists in the north
(Chiang Kai-shek)
Communists in the south (Mao
Zedong) around Shanghai
This led to a civil war in 1927
when Chiang sent troops to
attack the Communists and
their supporters

5. Mao
 Gained support for the Communist cause
by redistributing land to the peasants
and offering the schooling and health
care.
 This division continued for a long time
between the groups, after WWII
 Nationalists lost support b/c of their
harsh treatment of the population, high
taxes, and corruption
 Mao’s land reforms and his promise of
equality and military victories led
Communists to power in 1949
 Nationalists fled to Taiwan

6. Dividing Korea
Before WWI, Japan also annexed
the Korean peninsula
Harsh rule by the Japanese
Koreans hoped that the defeat of
Japan would lead to restoration of
their own power
WWII ended before the plans for
Korean independence could be
worked out

7. 38th Parallel
Allies agreed on a temporary solution
Soviet soldiers accepted the surrender
of Japanese troops north of the 38th
parallel, which was the latitude line
running across Korea at the midpoint
of the peninsula
Americans did the same south of the
parallel
It was never meant to be permanent
It created a Soviet-occupied northern
zone and an American occupied
southern zone

9. Korean War
Koreans wanted to unify their nation
on both sides of the line
North Korean troops streamed across
the 38th parallel, hoping to reunite
Korea by force
Americans thought this was Soviet-
led, a case of aggression
Truman felt that if the Americans did
not respond, Communism would
spread
He believed WWIII would start if the
US did not intervene

10. UN Police Action
The UN blocked Communist
China’s admission to the UN in
1949
Soviets walked out in protest
Thus could not exercise its veto
power when Truman brought up
the issue of North Korean
aggression to the UN
The US gained unanimous
approval for resolutions that
branded North Korea as an
aggressor

11. Truman’s steps
Protected Taiwan
Ordered US air and naval support
for the South Koreans
Sent ground troops in
He did NOT go to Congress and
ask for a declaration of war, but
Congress was very supportive
UN set up 16 nations to contribute
troops or arms, but the US was
80% of the force

12. Douglas MacArthur
MacArthur was Truman’s
choice to lead the UN forces in
Korea
Based in Japan
Responsible for establishing
western democracy there and
for creating Japan’s new
democratic constitution

13. North Korean advance
North Korean troops swept
through South Korea in a few
weeks
MacArthur defended Pusan (SE
South Korea), and then landed
troops at Inchon (NW South
Korea) and attacked enemy supply
lines from behind
The strategy worked, and the
North Koreans fled back across the
38th parallel

15. China’s warning
China was concerned that the
South Koreans and Americans
would take power
They threatened the US not to
advance any further
MacArthur ignored them
“Home by Christmas” drive: Nov.
24, 1950, designed to drive the
enemy across the North Korean
border at the Yalu River in to China
and end the war

16. That didn’t work...
Chinese troops poured across
the Yalu River into North
Korea to take the offensive
Chinese and North Korean
troops pushed the UN forces
back into South Korea
Led to a stalemate

17. MacArthur’s next steps
Wanted to open a second front to
break stalemate
He wanted Jiang’s forces at Taiwan
to return to the Chinese mainland
to attack the Chinese Communists
Truman was opposed to
this, fearing it could lead to a
widespread war in Asia

18. The letter
MacArthur sent a letter to House
Minority Leader Joseph Martin in
March 1951
Attacked the president’s policies
Martin made the letter public
On April 11th, Truman fired
MacArthur for insubordination
He received a hero’s welcome
when he came back

19. War continues...
The war dragged on for over two
more years
Truman now very unpopular, did not
have a good approval rating
Eisenhower came in, wanted peace
talks
Ike threatened to use atomic
weapons
A truce was signed in 1953, leaving
Korea divided at about the 38th
parallel

20. Effects of the war
54,000 American soldiers killed
103,000 wounded
Limited results: why the deaths?
Communist forces were pushed
back
Containment occurred without
nuclear war

21. Other effects...
Korean War was the first in which
white and African Americans served
in the same units
Huge increase in military spending
By 1960, 1/2 of budget went to
defense
1/2 million soldiers stationed around
the world: permanent mobilization
Military-industrial complex: employed
3.5 million Americans by 1960: kept
the arsenal going

22. Relations with Japan
US signed a peace treaty with
Japan in 1951
Korean war did ruin relations
with Communist China