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. Syngman Rhee was the first president of South
Korea and he was part of the nationalist movement. Kim Il Sung was the
first president of North Korea and he was part of the guerilla
warfare. South-Korea was the non-communist part and North Korea was
the communist part.
The Allies discussed Korea in the Cairo Declaration, at Yalta and at
Teheran in 1943, and Stalin said ‘the shorter the period, the better’
following the agreement at Teheran that there should be ‘some period
of apprenticeship’.
Japan surrendered not so long after the United States dropped the
first Atom Bomb on Hiroshima in Japan on August 6 in 1945. The USSR
declared war on Japan two days after the bomb was dropped. The second
Atom Bomb was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9 in 1945. When the Soviet
military forces swept through Manchuria (in China) and North Korea,
U.S.A reacted in alarm because they realized the potential danger of
having the Korean peninsula controlled by Communist forces.
Immediately after Japan was defeated, disagreements between Soviet and
U.S.A aroused. The U.S complained on how the Soviets stripped China’s
industrial area, Manchuria. And the Soviets said the Americans didn’t
allow them to take part in the occupation of Japan. Worse than this,
was the situation in Korea. A joint occupation of Korea was proposed
by President Truman. The Soviets would occupy the area north of the 38th
parallel, while the Americans would control the area south of it.
On August 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped the world’s first atomic bomb over Hiroshima. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. On August 15th, the Japan announced unconditional surrender in World War II. To this day historians still discuss why the U.S. decided to use the atomic bombs. Orthodox historians argue that the decision to drop the bombs was a military one designed purely to defeat the Japanese.
In August of 1945, both of the only two nuclear bombs ever used in warfare were dropped on the Japanese cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. These two bombs shaped much of the world today.
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.
When President Truman authorized the use of two nuclear weapons in 1945 against the Japanese in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end World War II, the nature of international security was changed irreversibly. At that time, the United States had what was said to have a monopoly of atomic bombs. Soon thereafter, the Soviet Union began working on atomic weaponry. In 1949, it had already detonated it first atomic bomb and tensions began to heat up between the two countries. With the information that the Soviets had tested their first bomb, the United States began work on more powerful weapons1, and a fight for nuclear superiority had begun.
The Korean War was a tragic event that started on July 25, 1950 and ended with a truce on July 27, 1953. America had feared the Soviet Union would bring communism to other countries especially in Asia. Korea had split after World War II. The Soviet Union had backed the government in the north and America backed the government in the south. They both agreed that the 38th parallel would split North from South Korea. However, o July 25, 1950, North Korean troops passed through the 38th parallel and captured Seoul. This would forever be known as the First Battle of Seoul. The United Nations responded by creating a resolution that labels the attack a “breach of the peace.” The United State decided to intervene in Korea just because they couldn’t
On August 6, 1945, the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, and three days later, another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki (Martin, 2015). The decision to drop the bomb was made by U.S. President Harry S. Truman and his advisors. Truman had inherited this bomb project from the late President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and later stated, “Having found the bomb we have used it. We have used it against
On August 6, 1945, the first bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima. Three days later, on August 9, the second bomb hit Nagasaki. Whether the United States made a moral and ethical decision is still an ongoing debate. President Truman was faced with a difficult choice. The U.S. chose to adopt a stance that seemed to limit the amount of casualties in the war, by significantly shortening it with the use of atomic weapons.
Koreans were under Japanese rule for a long time. It was officially signed as a colony on August 22, 1910, but Japanese had been planning this annexation from 1876 the Japanese-Korea treaty of amity. Japanese plan of annexation started with this treaty. This treaty allowed Japanese to come to Korean harbors freely and this marked the end of Korea’s status as a protectorate of China. Also later on October 8th, 1895, Japanese minister Miura Goro plotted the assassination of Empress Myeongseong. With the assassination, Japanese were able to control the economy and military power and made the Koreans sig...
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.
War is used as a solution to a conflict; two countries that are not getting along usually fight each other for power or to show which is stronger. Many different things cause war, but it all starts with the government. A government that is hungry for power and money would do anything to get what it wants. The more power the government has, the more power they’ll want. Another cause of war is believed to be religion, different religions describe different ideas and understandings, but those different ideas are disagreements over many things. If a government didn’t like another’s idea it causes disagreement, and that means war.
There is still military interaction between North Korea and South Korea. North Korea–South Korea conflicts began with political, diplomatic reasons from the division of Korea in 1945 following World War II. Even though the Korean War finished, there still remains the tension between North and South Korea. For example, according to CNN, in 1968, North Korea unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate South Korea's president. In 1983, a bombing in Myanmar that was linked to North Korea killed 17 South Korean officials and in 1987, North Korea was accused of bombing a South Korean airplane. Fighting has also repeatedly occurred on both land and sea borders because each nation is continually trying to unify the peninsula with its own system of government.
The stance of the American government was crucial to the involvement of the United States in the Korean War and greatly influenced the outcome. After World War II, in August of 1945, the Soviet Union raided the Northern part of Korea, which at the time Japan had control over, with the plan of spreading communism. In response, the United States sent their troops to the Southern part of Korea in order to protect them against a Soviet Union takeover. This created a divide along the 38th parallel with the North supported by the Soviet Union and the South supported by the United States (“U.S. Enters the Korean Conflict”). However, this temporary solution was repealed on June 25, 1950 when North Korea crossed the 38th parallel and attacked South Korea, thus starting the Korean War (“Us Enters the Korean
Korea gained independence from Japanese colonial rule in August of 1945 and also the division of Korea into the republic south and communist north in the 38th parallel. South Korea then was under the United States occupation from l945-48. Before the United States occupation South Korea had already organized a central People’s committees and established the Korean People of Republic (Memorial Foundation). Nevertheless, United States did not recognize any of the provisional or republic government. The United States refused to do so until there had been an agreement among the western allies. In 1954, there was a Mutual Security Agreement signed between the United States and South Korea, which states that they agreed to defend each other in the event of outside aggression (Memorial Foundation). South Korea has been under military authoritarian regime from 1961-1979 under President Park Chung Hee and from 1980-1992 under President Chun Doo Hwan. The Kwangju uprising occurred in May of 1980 after the collapse of the first milit...
One such ‘democracy’ in need to protection was found in Korea. Prior to the detonation of atomic bombs over Japan, a meeting of allied command planned a land war against Japan. Russia, it was agreed, within three months of Victory in Europe day would move into Korea and prepare for attack. Russian forces would advance to north of the 38th parallel. American forces would meet them south of the 38th . From here the forces would coordinate an attack on Japan, however before this plan could be enacted America dropped the bomb bringing an end to the war. Korea, however remained divided between the two occupying forces. On each side of the parallel the USSR and the US created governments embodying their respective political ambitions and ideologies.