1. The Korean War-How did it start?
Facts (Started on June 25, 1950)
75,000 soldiers from North Korean
People’s Army came across the
38th parallel
2. Invaded the Western Korea
Republic in the south
3. First military action of the
Cold War

2. When Did America Become Involved?
United States involvement began in July 1950
Fighting eventually stalled
United States tried to reach
an “armistice” with the
North Koreans
Casualties began to mount
Armistice-An agreement in fighting brought about by an agreement between the two (2) sides.

3. The Two Koreas The Two Leaders
Korea was once a unified country that had been a
part of the Japanese Empire since the beginning of
the 20th century
The Americans and the Soviets had to decide the fate of Korea
The Two Leaders
Syngman Rhee (anti-Communist
dictator) supported in the
South by the Americans
Communist dictator Kim II Sung got the support of the Soviets in the North

4. The Korean War and the Cold War
Feared by the Americans as a Communist campaign to take over the world
Started as a war to get the Communists out of South Korea
North Korean Army-well trained, well equipped and well disciplined
“If we let Korea down, the Soviets will keep right on going and swallow up one place after another” (President Harry Truman)
Symbolized the global struggle between East and West
Good vs. Evil

5. President Harry S. Truman
The war had a new set of aims
The goal of the war was to liberate the North from the Communists
Truman thought that this war would lead to:
Soviet aggression in Europe
2) Deployment of atomic weapons
3) Millions of senseless deaths

6. General Douglas MacArthur
Facts about the General
Agreed with President Truman that this was now an “offensive” war (Be the ones to strike first)
MacArthur thought that anything shorter of a full scale war was “appeasement”
Appeasement-To give in when it is wrong to do so
MacArthur saw this as “an unacceptable knuckling under the Communists”
Tried to provoke (start) a war with China
“There is no substitute for victory”
-General Douglas MacArthur
April 11, 1951-President Truman fired MacArthur for insubordination

7. The Korean War-At A Stalemate
Peace talks began in July 1951 at Panmunjom
Neither side wanted a “ceasefire” that kept the 38th parallel as boundary and could not agree whether prisoners should be forcibly “repatriated”
Repatriated-To return to the country of origin, allegiance or citizenship
Ceasefire-A temporary stopping of warfare

8. The End of the Korean War???
Armistice was signed on July 27, 1953
Armistice agreement allowed for the following things:
POW’s could stay where they liked
New boundary line was drawn near the 38th parallel
South Korea given an extra 1,500 square miles of territory
2-mile wide “Demilitarized Zone” created that still exists today

9. Casualties of the Korean War
Deaths totaled over 5 million from all sides
2.5 million of these deaths were of Korean civilians
More than 40,000 American deaths
More than 100,000 Americans wounded