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Post-World War II challenge of containment against Communist spread in Korea. Explore the Korean War's impact, battles, key figures, and ongoing divided Korea. Discover the war's toll, resolution, and the current state of the peninsula. Detailed statistics and photo references included.
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U.S Postwar challenge: containment- stopping the Communist spread into Korea The Forgotten War 1950-53 • 1945 Japanese forces North of 38th parallel surrender to Soviets forces, South - surrender to U.S. forces. • Soviets influenced Northern Korea to communism - U.S. influence Southern Korea to democracy. • Northern and Southern Korea attempt to unite the peninsula with their adopted style of gov’t. • This created tension among the super-powers as well for the Korean people.
1950-North Korea invades the South • N. Korea is equipped with Chinese and Soviet weapons, crosses 38th parallel • N. Korea achieved surprise and quick successes, captures 90% of the peninsula. • Truman feared WWIII had started. • U.S. troops in Japan come to S. Korea’s aid.
U.S./ United Nations React • U.N passes resolution to send forces to Korea. • President Truman places U.S. General Douglas MacArthur controls American/U.N. forces. • MacArthur recaptures S. Korea and most of N. Korea. • China feels threatened by massive # of U.S./U.N troops, China reacts with 200,000 troops pushing U.S back to the 38th parallel.
The War Drags-on • War front shifted several times. • Jet air-craft entered battlefield U.S. F-86 pilots confronted MIG-15 Soviets pilots. • War became a deadly stalemate, no side claims clear victory. • MacArthur repeatly suggested using A bomb on China: Truman relieved MacArthur of command.
A Divided Korea - Still • No peace treaty has been signed to this date!!!!! The two Koreas are divided by a heavily armed DMZ - demilitarized zone. • North Korea still vows they will someday united the North and South. • Today about 34,000 U.S. troops still stand guard on the Korean peninsula - troop strength is being diverted from Korea to Iraq.
The Final Resolution in Numbers • Casualties South Korea: 673,000 deadUnited States: 36,516 dead(33,686 combat, 2,830 non-combat),103,000 wounded, 8,142 MIAUnited Kingdom:1,078 dead, 2,674 wounded, 1,060 MIA/POWTurkey:721 dead, 2,111 wounded, 168 MIATotal: 1,271,244 to 1,818,410 • North Korean: 200,000+ deadChinese: 171,687 dead (combat +non-combat), 260,000 woundedSoviet:315 dead • Total: 1,858,000 to 3,822,000
Photo references • Korean map http://web.utk.edu/~hchoo/personal/korea2001.jpg • 38 parallel http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Crossing_the_38th_parallel.jpg/250px-Crossing_the_38th_parallel.jpg • MacArthur http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Douglas_MacArthur_smoking_his_corncob_pipe.jpg • Aircraft http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/history/generations/mig15-f86.jpg • A divided Korea http://www.korea-is-one.org/IMG/DMZ-400.jpg, http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/cepa/pubs/jul00/dmz.jpg • Korean War memorial http://www.ga.wa.gov/visitor/korean/KoreanWar02.jpg http://z.about.com/d/godc/1/0/J/1/koreanmmgal.jpg