1. The Korean War A Quick History

2. THE COLD WAR After World War II, the world was divided into two main superpowers, the democratic United States, and the communist Soviet Union. The struggle between the two was called the Cold War.

3. THE COLD WAR The stated objective of the U.S.A. was simple: stop the spread of communism wherever it begins. The Soviet Union had a similar goal: help the spread of communism wherever it begins.

4. THE COLD WAR Although the US and the USSR never actually met on the battlefield, they supported their allies in a number of Proxy Wars. The two most famous Proxy Wars took place in Vietnam and Korea.

5. THE COLD WAR The famous dividing line between communist North Korea, and democratic South Korea was the 38 th parallel of latitude. The North was supported by the Soviet Union, and the South was supported by the United States.

8. NORTH KOREA INVADES North Korea, led by General Kim Il Sung, wants to unite the peninsula. On June 25, 1950, 90,000 Communist troops poured over the 38 th parallel into South Korea. Within three days, the communists captured Seoul, South Korea’s capital city.

10. NORTH KOREA INVADES One day after the invasion, United States President Truman called for U.S. military forces to aid Syngman Rhee, the South Korean leader in stopping the communists.

12. AMERICA RESPONDS Although the U.S. supplied the bulk of the foreign troops, England, Australia, and 14 other nations also participate. At first, the U.S. forces are unprepared – the soft occupation of Japan had left them fat and happy – but things change under Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

15. AMERICA RESPONDS MacArthur, a staunch anti-communist, is not only interested in pushing the North Koreans back, but also punishing them for their invasion. By September 29, The U.S. forces reached the 38 th parallel, reestablishing the Korean boundary.

16. MACARTHUR’S WAR By early October, MacArthur had invaded North Korea, with the intention of overthrowing the communist government. Meanwhile, communist China under Mao Ze Dong promised he would not allow this to happen.

18. MACARTHUR’S WAR On October 20, MacArthur had captured the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. On November 1, China launched a surprise attack on the U.S. in North Korea. MacArthur retreats south – in a hurry.

19. ENTER CHINA In the next several months, there are a million communist Chinese in Korea. MacArthur vows to regroup, recapture North Korea AND overthrow Mao in China. He makes the mistake of dividing his forces.

21. ENTER CHINA The U.S. is forced out of most of its strongholds. The Chinese promise to “push MacArthur to the sea.” MacArthur asks Washington D.C. if he can use atomic weapons against China. Washington refuses.

22. ENTER CHINA By January, 1951, The Chinese had taken the South Korean capital of Seoul. Things did not look good. Eventually, the U.S. sent in enough troops to stop the Chinese, and push them across the 38 th parallel.

23. AMERICA REBOUNDS MacArthur complained about not getting to invade China and drop atomic bombs. President Truman fired him. He is remembered as an American hero.

26. STALEMATE The Korean War eventually dragged into a stalemate, a battle in which neither North Korea/China nor the U.S. made any gains. On July 27, 1953, a ceasefire is signed, thus stopping the war. It ended where it began: at the 38 th parallel.

27. STALEMATE The war cost the U.S. 54,000 lives and over 100,000 casualties. Over 2 million Koreans died. The war changed almost nothing in Korea. In America however, it lead to a greater buildup of weapons and military. The war ended with no changes and no peace treaty.

28. BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD… The Korean War would not be the last time the U.S. would try to control communism. A few years later we would try it again in Vietnam.