History of the Korean War
The Korean War took place between the years of 1950 and 1953. The cause of the war was that Korea was under Japanese rule ever since the end of the Chinese-Japanese war in 1895. After World War II, in 1945, Korea was freed from Japan. The United States troops occupied the southern part of the country and Russian forces took the north. The very first and main reason we entered the war in Korea was because John Foster Dulles, the future Secretary of State under Dwight Eisenhower, said that it would be best if we entered the war. At the time Dulles was a special advisor to the Secretary of State Acheson. Dulles was in Tokyo when the Koreans staged war. Dulles sent a message to Acheson that if the South Koreans start losing and cannot hold back the North Koreans, they should send in United States forces. He said to do so, "even though this risks Russian counter moves. To sit by while Korea is overrun by unprovoked armed attack would start a disaster chain even leading most probably to World War III." When Dulles got back to Washington he specified that he meant sending in United States Air and Naval forces only, not troops. Almost immediately after getting word of the invasion, Acheson decided that the United States should put the matter before the United Nations. He then called President Truman and got his approval. Almost fourteen hours after Washington got word of the war there was a conference set up among certain members of the United Nations. The final decision of the United Nations was to give arms and equipment to the R.O.K. army (Republic of Korea). Then they authorized General MacArthur to use his forces and the United States Seventh Fleet, "to stabilize the combat situation". We first entered the war on June 25, 1950 because the United States felt that if Russia's troops would fight for North Korea, we should fight for South Korea. Also, since South Korea had a dictatorship, we wanted to prevent it from becoming communist and remaining a dictatorial form of government. If the communist started conquering many nations they might start a whole empire (the domino effect). In December 1943 the United States, China and Great Britain made a promise to Synyman Rhee during World War II that Korea would be given its independence "in due course" after World War II.
The Korean War began when the North Koreans invaded South Korea across the 38th parallel on June 25, 1950. The North Korean forces fought their way to Pusan at the southern edge of the Korean peninsula. With the North Koreans controlling most of the peninsula, General Douglas MacArthur landed an amphibious assault at Inchon on September 15, 1950 and wrested control of South Korea from North Korean forces. After MacArthur’s forces marched to the northern border of Korea, China entered the war. After a major Chinese attack and a major American counter attack, the front of the war had a new stage, the Chosin Reservoir (Henretta, Edwards & Self 768).
The Korean War , although successful in preventing the spread of communism, was one of the first tests of communism in Asia. North Korea was strictly communist while South Korea was democratic. As usual, the United States supported democratic South Korea and the Truman Doctrine was applied to the Korean situation. The North Korean forces crossed the dividing line (38th parallel) and invaded South Korea. Thus, they provoked a war over communism. With the possibility of democratic South Korea falling to the communistic North, the U.S. stepped in and supplied aid mostly through troops. The U.S. then urged the United Nations to support South Korea and fight against the communist North. Once the North Korean forces were defeated at Inchon, they eventually got pushed back to the 38th parallel. However, against President Truman’s word, American General MacArthur decided to keep pushing back the North Korean forces by crossing the dividing line. This caused more trouble because the People’s Republic of China (Communist China) now sent troops to aid the communists against the pro...
What Different Tactics Did Both Sides use in an Attempt to Win the Conflict in Vietnam Between 1956 and1968? Both sides used different tactics and had to adapt strategies in response to the conditions they had to meet. Vietnam has some of the harshest conditions possible in which to fight. From the swamps, paddy fields and the Mekong delta in the south, to the mountainous jungles in the north; it was all alien to the Americans. The geography in Vietnam was so different to what the American soldiers had been trained in, that they found it difficult to exploit the landscape and make good use of it.
In similarity, North Korea began practicing communism when its land was divided between North and South due to the 38th Parallel. In August of 1945, the Soviet Army ruled North Korea until a domestic regime could be formed. Hence, the land of Korea was divided between Soviet forces and American forces. Due to the fact the North Korea refused to join the United Nations, both North and South Korea began to fight over sovereignty of the land as a whole; hence, this “fight” sparked the Korean War on June 12th of 1950. The horrific war lasted for three years and was finally ended in 1953 due to an armistice; however, the two countries are technically still at war with each other because a peace treaty was never signed.
U.S. participation was centered on America’s foreign policy at the time. Although the War did not break out until June of 1950, several conflicts brewed over the attempt to take over the entire nation under one rule for several years after World War II. The majority of these conflicts took place at the 38th parallel where Korea was split. Decisions influenced by President Harry S. Truman and his doctrine, which was essentially the policy to contain the spread of communism, gave the United Nations an opportunity to prevent global domination through communism (“Teaching with Documents”). The fear of international communism from the powers of the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China was the main reason that caused the United States to intervene.
The United States reached the verdict of intervening with Korea from the uprising and constant tension of Cold War politics. The US joined on behalf of South Korea with fearful President Truman warning that if they did not help Korea, other nations would be captured by communist rule (he noted the Soviet Union) and the world would ultimately be threatened by a communist takeover. Communism was the main issue and cause of the international conflict, known as a “limited war”, fighting for limited objectives. North Korea’s communist troops invaded South Korea which was considered the first military action to initiate the Cold War. However the conflict between the nations was not necessarily that of what one land had, it was focused more on being able to call it territory under a certain ruling. The overwhelming risk of communism conquering countries sent nations to help each other, showing the strength and trust in allied nations and what they can achieve with each other’s help.
The Vietnam war started in December of 1956, and lasted until April of 1975. The war was between the U.S., and Vietnam. This war was a very gruesome, and tragic war. In Vietnam their leader Ho Chi Minh came back after a 30 year trip to explore around the world. When he returned his country was occupied by two major countries, Japan and France. Ho Chi Minh had a plan to run them out of his country, but he needed the U.S. for it to work. U.S. was still in the Cold war with Russia and there was fear of communism there. So the U.S. decided not to help Vietnam and send military aid to help the French and Japanese forces, in order to stop communism. Thus begun The vietnam war!
“In July 1965, Lyndon Johnson chose to Americanize the war in Vietnam.” Although Johnson chose to enter America into the war, there were events previous that caused America to enter and take over the war. The South Vietnamese were losing the war against Communism – giving Johnson all the more reason to enter the war, and allowing strong American forces to help stop communism. There were other contributing factors leading up to the entrance of the war; America helped assist the French in the war, Johnson’s politics, the Tonkin Gulf Incident, and the 1954 Geneva Conference. President Johnson stated, “For 10 years three American Presidents-President Eisenhower, President Kennedy, and your present President--and the American people have been actively concerned with threats to the peace and security of the peoples of southeast Asia from the Communist government of North Viet-Nam.”
To what extent did the United States or the Soviet Union cause the ceasefire of the Korean War in 1953? This investigation is historically significant because it focuses on which country influenced Korea to create the Armistice Agreement on the Korean War. The scope of this investigation focuses on the years 1945-1953 through the span of the Korean War and when the Armistice Agreement was created. One method to be used in this investigation is an examination of The Two Koreas: A Contemporary History. This resource will be examined to see the impact the United States had on Korea as a whole. Another resource utilized is the documents of “Army Department Teletype Conference” during the time of the Korean War. This source will be analyzed to peek into some of the United State’s actions during the Korean War. To further research additional sources will be used such as books, articles, letters, and documents from important assets in the war.
...sed by Korea. In 1950 the Truman Administration faced, “The real dilemma of obtaining congressional approval to implement the $15 billion or more recommendations of NSC-68 as well as European rearmament.” Truman needed a catalyst in order to make it possible to implement those funds. Before Korea, America’s political landscape made it impossible for such a sum to be approved. As Acheson admitted, “Korea came along and saved us.” The war made it possible to increase the budget and implement change because public support was high. American lives were at risk, and that would loom larger to the public than possible economic repercussions. The Korean War gave Truman the precedent to raise the budget, implement NSC-68, and oppose communism at every turn. The new policy established shaped the course of the Cold War, which in turn has shaped the world stage to this day.
The Vietnam War (1954-1975) was, and continues to be, a contentious issue around the world. Many analysts of the war attribute it to Lyndon B. Johnson, who was president of America from 1963 until 1969, because under his administration, the American Army became involved in combat in Vietnam. Although there were many facets that lead Johnson to make his decision and there were three other presidents, in power during the course of America’s involvement in Vietnam, who also played key roles, it was Johnson who made the decision to escalate US intervention in Vietnam.
Most people know that the Korean War was started when, in 1950, the North Koreans (N.K) crossed over the 38th parallel and opened fire on the South Koreans (S.K). North Koreans wanted the land,,because of the resources on the land. What most people don't understand are the other hidden conflicts that contributed to the tension.The Cold War was going strong between the Soviet Union /China and the United States.
Throughout history the United States has fought in many wars. Whether the fighting took place in Europe such as WWI or in our own land like the civil war. The one war many people seem to forget is the Korean War. The Korean War also known as the “forgotten war” was a war between North Korea, South Korea and the US together with the South Koreans to help. The Korean War was fought on sea, land, and in the air over and near the Korean peninsula (Brown, p.2). On June 25, 1950, the North Koreans rumbled across the thirty-eighth parallel. The invasion was successful because the south was not expecting or even prepare for a war. The invasion was so successful that they pushed the south to a tiny defensive area around Pusan. That’s when President Truman steps in real quick to halt the invasion of the North Koreans. Truman ordered American armed forces under General Douglas MacArthur to support South Korea. The Korean War was a clash between Communist forces and Free World (Brown, p.2).
The Causes of the Korean War Korea had been under Japanese control since 1895, and in 1910 Korea was annexed by Japan. The Koreans were assimilated into Japanese mainstream culture: Newspapers were suspended the right of assembly was banned and political organizations were disbanded. Hostility and resentment increased, discrimination against Koreans (schools for example) and Re-structuring of land are other examples of what Korea had to go through. The Japanese control of Korea made Korea suffer and was one of the first factors which caused the Korean War. The march called “the First Movement” was the first big demonstration against the Japanese.
Historically, the Korean War played a tremendous role in both North and South Korean societies. The Korean War was simply a victim of the rivalry between the Communism and the Capitalism. North Korea followed the communist beliefs, while the South Korea was backed up by the United States and its allies. The result of this war was deleterious, over 5 million people were killed from both sides. (Stueck, 1997). After experiencing a huge amount of loss both economically and socially, the Korean peninsula still remains divided. In other words, Korean people have experienced extreme tragedy for nothing in return. Visibly, the two Korean states have now a miniature intention to get into Militarized Interstate Disputes (MID). Accordingly, a realist