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World History II – Spring 2013
The Korean War
Korea had been ruled by Japan since 1910
Japan surrenders to Allies in September 1945
Allies decide to divide Korea along 38th parallelSoviet troops will occupy the
northU.S. troops will occupy the south
Koreans are excluded from these conferences
Division and occupation were intended to be temporary
Background
Syngman Rhee Korean nationalist who had
been exiled by the JapaneseWants to unify Korea Does not want to trade
Japanese imperialism for American/Soviet
1948 becomes first President of South Korea
Establishes authoritarian regime
Supported by U.S. because he is anti-communist
South Korea
Kim Il-SungCommunist guerilla leader
who had been exiled by the Japanese
Served in the Soviet Red Army during WWII
Stalin placed him in charge of newly formed North Korea
Wanted to unify Korea under communist rule
North Korea
North and South engage in reunification negotiationsTalks are off and on for two yearsNeither side will change political ideologyBorder skirmishes are common
Nearly 10,000 North and South Korean soldiers are killed in battle before the war even starts
Tensions build
June 25, 1950 North Korean troops launch a surprise attack on South Korea
United Nations Security Council votes to support South KoreansSoviets boycott the meetingTruman sees this as an opportunity for containment
15 UN Member Nations send troops 88% of troops are from U.S.Combined forces led by General MacArthur
War begins
MacArthur’s troops push North Koreans past 38th parallel and engage in an offensive to “liberate” North Korea from the Communists
U.N. troops reach the Yalo River, North Korea’s border with China
U.N. offensive
Mao Zedong warns that crossing into China will mean full-scale war
Truman knows this might risk war with Soviets, who now have a nuclear bomb
MacArthur wants to engage China and is fired for insubordination
Threats from Communist China
Chinese forces cross the Yalo River into Korea on October 16, 1950
Combined North Korean and Chinese forces push U.N. troops back into South Korea in January 1951
For six months, territory is traded back and forth within 100 miles of the 38th parallel
In July 1951, armistice negotiations begin but no agreement is reached until July 1953
Boundary at 38th parallel is reestablished and a two-mile-wide Demilitarized Zone is created
The End of the War
First armed conflict of the Cold War“Proxy War”- when opposing powers use third
parties as substitutes for fighting each otherFirst time US engaged with an enemy in
possession of a nuclear bombFirst containment of communism outside of
EuropeFirst racially integrated US troopsTest of the United Nations as an international
peace-keeping body
Why is the Korean War important?