10. Korean War (Tie)

1950-1953• WWII-Potsdam Conference (1945)

▫ Agreed to partition Korea @ 38th

parallel

▫ North-Communist-Kim Il Sung

Supported by USSR

▫ South-Democratic-SyngmannRhee

Supported by USA

Korea Split – 38th Parallel

Reasons for the Korean War• 1. NSC-68 (1950)- Quadruples the

Defense Dept. Budget

• 2. US/USSR Withdraw from Korea (1949)

▫ Had occupied for 4 Years

• 3. Dean Acheson-Defensive Perimeter

▫ Secretary of State

▫ “We will defend any area to the East of this line.”

• 4. Stalin’s Approval of the Invasion

• 5. Domino Theory – If one country falls to communism…they all will.

Stage 1: North Korean Attack• 1. North Korean Attack (June 25,

1950)

▫ UN forces pushed back to the Pusan Perimeter

“Struck Like a Cobra”

• 2. June 27, 1950-UN meeting…

▫ Truman commits US troops

(His toughest decision)

81% of Americans agreed

▫ UN sends Douglas MacArthur

• 3. July 5, 1950

▫ US troops fought NK and lost

MacArthur Had A Plan!!!

Stage 2: UN Counterattack• 2. (Operation Chromite)

September 15, 1950

▫ MacArthur’s Daring Move

▫ Landed at Inchon

320 Warships & 70,000 men

Caught North Koreans off guard!!

▫ Eventually pushed North back to the 38th Parallel

▫ Now what?

Stage 2: UN Counterattack

• UN Troops advance to the Yalu River (October 1950)

• UN Troops: Told they would be home by Christmas

Truman & Mac Meet – Wake Island

October 15, 1950

“…and if they tried to get down to Pyongyang there would be the greatest slaughter.” - Mac

Stage 3: Chinese Offensive

• Battle of the Chosin Reservoir (Nov. 27 – Dec. 13, 1950)

• 120,000 Chinese

• 20,000 American

Stage 3: Chinese Offensive

• 1 million Chinese “volunteers” cross the border and push the US back to the 38th parallel

• North Korea Recaptured

• Ready to take South Korea

• Mac wanted to use nuclear weapons

Truman Fired MacArthur

April 11, 1951

• I fired him because he wouldn't respect the authority of the President. I didn't fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch, although he was, but that's not against the law for generals. If it was, half to three-quarters of them would be in jail.

General Matthew Ridgway

Stage 4: Stalemate

• Stalemate at the 38th Parallel

• (July 1951 to July 27, 1953)

• The war bogs down along the 38th parallel

Results of the Korean War - USA

• US Casualties

▫ 36,574 Killed

▫ 103, 284 Wounded

▫ PA – 2402 Killed – 2nd Most

• Economic Cost: $403 Billion

• Protected South Korea

• Truman’s Approval Rating –22%

Korean War Memorial (Pittsburgh)

Asia (7)• 1. China

• 2. Israel

• 3. Japan

• 4. North Korea

• 5. South Korea

• 6. Taiwan

• 7. Turkey

Europe (6)

• 1. East Germany

• 2. UK

• 3. Greece

• 4. Poland

• 5. USSR

• 6. West Germany