The Korean War: 1950-1953

1. The Korean War: 1950-1953 Mr. Ornstein IB: History of the Americas Willow Canyon High School

2. Bell Work • What was the Purpose of NSC-68? • How do Revisionists view NSC-68?

3. Answer • Why is Korea called the “Forgotten War?”

4. Korean War Facts • Starts June 25, 1950 • Armistice July 27, 1953 • Officially a United Nations Action • UN Forces Led by the United States vs. North Korea and China • 34,000 Americans Die • 2.5 Million Koreans Die • 500,000 Chinese Die • War Never Officially Ended

5. Origins of the War • Korea Had Been Brutal Occupied by the Japanese Until the End of WWII. • Divided at the 38th Parallel.

6. South Korea Non-Communist Fertile Temperate Rapidly Industrialized Seoul is the Capital North Korea Communist Mountainous Cold Little Industry or Farmland The Two Koreas

7. Answer??? • How was Korea Divided? • Where was Korea Divided?

8. Kim Il-Sung • Communist Leader of North Korea • Protégé of Stalin • Close Relationships with USSR and Stalin • Wants to Conquer South Korea

9. Back in America • Strong Containment Success in Europe • McCarthyism and Strong Anti-Communist Movement • “Loss of China”-Truman Administration Blamed • NSC-68 Debate

10. Truman’s Asia Policy after the Fall of China • Strong Pressure to Assist Taiwan and Chiang Kai-shek • Truman Administration Contemplates Not Helping Chiang Kai-shek and allowing China to Conquer Taiwan

11. Dean Acheson’s Speech to the National Press Club • Truman’s Secretary of State • January 12, 1950 Speech on US Policy in Asia • Does not Mention South Korea in Outlining US Defensive Perimeter in Asia

12. Questions about Speech??? • How will Kim Il-Sung react to South Korea not being in US Protected Zone in Asia? • How might revisionists see omission in terms of NSC-68?

13. Question • Why did North Korea want South Korea?

14. Situation in China • Want to Invade Taiwan and Tibet • Tired from Japanese Invasion in WWII and Chinese Civil War • Army is weak with new soldiers from poorly trained captured Nationalists • Lack of Equipment

15. Korean War Begins • Korean War Begins on June 25, 1950 • North Korea Crosses the 38th Parallel • North Korea Quickly Takes Over Almost 90% of South Korea

16. Who Started the Korean War?

17. North Korea • North Korea Wants South Korea • Wants South Korean Resources • Wants a Unified and Communist Korea • Goes to Stalin and Mao for Support for Invasion

18. USSR • Stalin is Close to Kim Il Sung • USSR Controls Outer Mongolia and Manchuria (North of China), Control of the Korean Peninsula Would Box in China • Wear Down US and Chinese Soldiers/Losses • Field Test New Equipment • Gather Intelligence on American Military • Test Containment • Make North Korea and China Dependent on Russian Arms • Opportunities in Europe???

19. Mao and China • Felt if US Enters War, China Must Enter • Mao Believed Either Fight US in Korea or China • Gain Arms from Soviet Union/Needs Soviet Arms for Wider Ambitions • Purge Nationalists in its Army • Protect Newly Declared People’s Republic of China • Keep US Away from Border/Yalu River

20. United States • Containment • Protect Japan • “Loss” of China • Worried About Spread of Communism in Asia • Lessons from Munich during WWII • Monolithic Communism-China and USSR working together

21. Answer??? • Who had most to gain? • Who had most to lose?

22. The United Nations • Truman Goes to United Nations To Create Force to Help South Korea Stop the North Korean Invasion • Technically a United Nations Force vs. North Korea.

23. The Security Council • Truman Needs Approval of United Nations Security Council • USSR Has Veto Power. • Why didn’t Russians Veto?

24. Douglas MacArthur • WWII Hero • Military General in Charge of American Occupation and Rebuilding of Japan • Placed in Charge of UN Forces in Korea

25. The War • After Initial North Korean Advances to Pusan American Forces Push North Korean Forces to the 38th Parallel.

26. Mission Changes • Truman Changes from Containing Communism to Having US Forces Cross the 38th Parallel and Unify Korea and Defeat North Korean Regime. • MacArthur Tells Truman China Will not Get Involved • China Sends Word Through India to US not to Push North

27. China Enters the War • October and November Communist China Enters the Korean War As American Forces Approach Yalu River. • Mao Had Planned All Along to Enter • Mao Thought USSR Would Provide Air Cover/Stalin Does Not • Surprises US Forces/US Forces Retreat Below 38th Parallel

28. Truman and MacArthur • Truman Wants to Keep War Limited to Korea • MacArthur Wants to use Nationalist Forces from Taiwan to Attack China • Wants to Expand War to China • Ignores Truman’s Orders to Stop Talking About Expanding War to China • Truman Fires MacArthur

29. The Rest of the War • War Eventually Reaches a Standstill at the 38th Parallel. • Armistice Signed July 27, 1953 • War Ends How it Began: Divided Korea

30. Results of the Korean War • Korea still Divided at 38th Parallel • US Contains Communism and Shows Willing to Fight in Other Countries to Do So. • 35,000 Americans, 2.5 Koreans, 500,000 Koreans Killed • US Strengthens Ties to Taiwan • China Drops Plans to Invade Taiwan • US Increases Aid to the French in Vietnam • Truman’s Popularity Decreases and Does Not Run for Re-Election • Dwight Eisenhower Elected to Presidency

31. Results of the Korean War • US Places Strong Trade Embargo on Communist China • Economic Strain on China • Communist China was Isolated from the West. • China Fights US to a Stalemate • Increased Patriotism in China/Mao Has Stronger Hold of the People • Rift in USSR/China Relationship

32. Results of the Korean War • Findings of NSC-68 Accepted • Massive US Military Mobilization Worldwide • NATO in Europe is Strengthened • Forces Stalin and Successors to Re-think Soviet Policy Towards the US