The Korean Conflict1950-1953

QUESTION: When is a war NOT a war?

Why was it NOT a war? The UN Participation Act: An act that required all member nations

to participate in global conflict.

However – the Participation Act ALSO says that nothing can be done without the action of Congress. Congress is the only branch of government that can declare

war.

Truman used the spirit of the Participation Act to send troops to Korea without Congress approval.

Congress never declared war on the North Koreans and Chinese, as required by Article 1, Section 8 of to the Constitution. Therefore, this cannot Constitutionally be considered a war, only a conflict or police action.

When the Cold War became a global conflict.

In 1945, Korea was freed from the Japanese. The country was split at the 38th parallel.

NORTH KOREA: led by Kim Il Sung, was communist.

SOUTH KOREA: led by Syngman Rhee, was capitalist.

The two countries hated each other.

What caused this conflict? Truman was interested in the Far East – so was

Stalin.

Domino Theory: Europe was not the only place where communists were coming to power. In the Far East the communists were also gaining power. China turned in 1949.

Truman believed that if one country fell to Communism, others would follow. He worried that if Korea fell, the Communists would capture Japan.

Cold War Politics

Truman realized the USA was in a competition for world domination with the USSR.

Communist Containment: By supporting South Korea, America would be able to fight Communism without directly attacking Russia.

Stalin, also, was involved in the Far East.

Kim Il Sung (North Korea) visited Stalin.

In 1949, he persuaded Stalin he could conquer South Korea. Stalin did not think America would dare get involved, so he agreed.

Joseph Stalin – Soviet Union

Start of the Korean War 1950:Syngman Rhee boasted of his plan to

attack North Korea. It was a good enough excuse for the North Koreans to invade South Korea.

This started the Korean War.

Events of the WarJUNE-SEPT 1950

On June 25, 1950, the North Koreans successfully attacked & easily defeated the Republic of Korea (ROK). They captured most of the South.

June 27, 1950: US persuades the UN to pass a resolution supporting ROK (though the Soviets were boycotting the UN); the Americans send troops to Pusan.

SEPT-NOV 1950 September 15, 1950: General MacArthur leads UN

landing at Inchon. Of 300,000 UN troops, 260,000 were Americans.

The NKPA (North Korea) retreated and the Americans recaptured South Korea. 125,000 NKPA prisoners were taken.

October 7, 1950: MacArthur invades North Korea & advances as far as the Yalu River, at the Chinese border.

NOV 1950-FEB 1951

On November 25, 1950, 200,000 Chinese troops attack MacArthur.

On December 31, 1950, 500,000

more Chinese troops entered the war – “human wave” tactics.

They recaptured North Korea & advanced into South Korea.

FEB-MARCH 1951 America sends more troops. Bombing began.

China admits to 390,000 casualties; UN figures place the numbers at 1 million Chinese dead and 500,000 North Koreans lost.

America succeeds in driving China back, but loses 54,000 soldiers in the process.

MacArthur reaches the 38th parallel in March, 1951.

MARCH 1951-1953

Truman orders MacArthur to stop. After publicly criticizing the president, MacArthur is fired.

In 1953, Eisenhower is the new US president. The US threatens atomic warfare & the Chinese agree to a truce, signed on July 27, 1953.

It is estimated that 10 million lives were lost in Korea.

Korea Today The country is still divided at the 38th parallel.

No peace treaty has ever been signed between the Koreas and the US, ending the Korean conflict.

Korean War Poster Activity 10 points

Read pages 850-852.

Take notes on all the sections in RED, including subsections titled in BLUE. Make note of names, places, dates, and events. Using that information, you will design and color a KOREAN WAR poster. All aspects are required to receive full credit.

I will give you the information you need to use to color your poster correctly.