The Korean War

• At the end of WWII, Japanese forces in Korea surrendered to the Allies– Forces North of the 38th

parallel surrendered to the Soviets, forces South of the 38th parallel surrendered to the US

– The Soviets established a communist government in the North (The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea)

– The US established a semi-democratic government in the South (The Republic of Korea)

– Both sides claimed to be the legitimate government of all of Korea and threatened to invade the other side

Debating the UN• The United Nations was founded in 1945, soon after

the end of WWII• The most important decisions of the UN are made by

the Security Council– The security council is made up of 5 permanent members

and 10 rotating members– The permanent members have veto power

• Come up with three logical arguments in favor of the current way the Security Council works

• Come up with three logical arguments against the current way the Security Council works

Permanent Members of the UNSCThe US

The UK

France

Russia (formerly the USSR)

China (formerly the Republic of China in Taiwan)

• On June 25, 1950, the Korean War began– Most Soviet troops had pulled out of the

North and most US troops had pulled out of the South

– Soviets thought that the US would not risk a larger war by backing the South

– North Korea invaded the South and almost succeeded in taking the whole country

– The US got a UN Security Council resolution authorizing military action and sent troops into South Korea• The Soviets had boycotted the Security

Council because it did not recognize the People’s Republic of China

• Larger powers join the Korean War– American troops under Douglas

MacArthur, along with UN allies, attack North Korean forces and drive them back to the Chinese border

– Chinese troops joined the North Koreans and drove the UN forces across the 38th parallel

– A cease-fire was declared in 1951 and an armistice in 1953, establishing the border between North and South Korea almost exactly where it had been

Korea before the war Korea after the war

Death Toll from the Korean War

American Soldiers 36,574

Chinese Soldiers 600,000

South Korean Soldiers 217,000

South Korean Civilians 1,000,000

North Korean Soldiers 406,000

North Korean Civilians 600,000