The Korean War Haley Burgett, Georgia Hagy, Aimee LaBrecque, Michael Sculley, Matthew Christie

The Start of the War After WW2, the United States and USSR split Korea into the north and the south.. The North had Soviets backing a Stalinist regime under the rule of Kim II-Sun created the North Korean Peoples' Army equipped with Russian tanks and artillery the South had an American-backed government under the presidency of Syngman Rhee openly declared aim was the imposition of national unity by force By 1948, two separate governments had been set up. Both governments claimed to be the legitimate government of Korea Neither side accepted the border as permanent The conflict with communism vs. anti communism was rising to create a problem. June 1950- North Korea launched 223,000 soldiers and 150 tanks across the border into South Korea and war began

Countries Involved South Supporters: South Korea, 21 United Nations Countries Australia was one of the first to contribute military personnel from all three services largest UN contributor was United States; at one stage had 140,000 deployed in direct combat roles in Korea Great Britain, Canada, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Colombia, Ethiopia, South Africa, New Zealand, Turkey, Greece, Thailand, Philippines and Luxembourg sent fighting units Norway, Sweden, Denmark, India, Italy contributed military hospitals and field ambulances

Countries Involved North Supporters: North Korea, China, Soviet Union Soviet Union’s contribution was vital included medical units from their allies Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania provided diplomatic support, strategic and tactical planning (including planning of the invasion of South Korea) and essential logistical support They supplied and trained the air forces of China and North Korea 2,200,000 Chinese served in Korea

Outcome of the War On July 27, 1953, an armistice was signed and the fighting stopped. Korea returned to the “status quo ante bellum” (the way things were before the war). The U.S. succeeded in checking off Communist expansion, which cost them a lot of money and many lives. The war caused massive damage to both North and South Korea's economy and infrastructure. South Korea was then able to modernize and industrialize with the help of the United States.

Despite the signed truce, the conflict was not settled and Korea remains divided into two nations

The Korean War set a tone for cold war tension between two superpowers The Korean War set a tone for cold war tension between two superpowers. Showed that the two superpowers, United States and Soviet Union, could fight a “limited war” in a third country

The Historical Personalities Involved Major people in the Korean War were Douglas Macarthur, the commander of the US and UN forces combatting the North. U.S. President Truman, decided to intervene in the Korean War, by following his policy of containment, to stop the spread of communism. The ruler of China, Mao Zedong, sent the military to help out North Korea. Stalin sent fighter planes and pilots to the North. Also the South's President Syngman Rhee and the North’s leader Kim II-sung were involved in the Korean War.

Douglas MacArthur Mao Zedong Kim II-sung Harry S. Truman Syngman Rhee