The Korean War and The US

1662 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: US involvement in Korean war

A. PLAN OF INVESTIGATION 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. B. SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE HISTORICAL CONTEXT Korea ended its isolation in the mid-nineteenth-century age of imperialism, in 1882, as a defensive measure against its neighbors, signing “Treaty of Amity and Commerce” with the United States to provide “good offices if there is an external threat”. As a result of the rising Soviet-American rivalry at the end of World War II, the Korean peninsula was divided along the 38th parallel. The divide ran along the 38th parallel which is part of the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) separating North and South Korea . The Soviet Union supported North Korea with Communist-control and the United States supported South Korea in democracy. In 1953 the Armistice Agreement ended three years of fighting (starting June 25, 1950) that killed over a milli... ... middle of paper ... ... Bleiker, Roland. Divided Korea: Toward a Culture of Reconciliation. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, 2005. Print. Print. Cumings, Bruce. The Korean War: A History. New York: Modern Library, 2010. Print. Cumings, Bruce. The Origins of the Korean War. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 1981. Print. Harry S. Truman to Douglas MacArthur, January 13, 1951. President's Secretary's Files, Truman Papers. Web. Oberdorfer, Don. The Two Koreas: A Contemporary History. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1997. Print. Pak, Chi-Young. Korea and the United Nations. The Hague,The Netherlands: Kluwer Law International, 2000.Print. People and Events- The Korean War." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. Repatriation of Korean Prisoners of War, May 13, 1953. Post-Presidential Papers, Truman Papers. Web. Smith, Nora. "Democratic People's Republic of Korea." History of Division. N.p., 21 Dec. 2010. Web.

Show More
Related

  • Truman vs. MacArthur

    739 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Korean War changed the face of American Cold War diplomacy forever. In the midst of all the political conflict and speculation worldwide, the nation had to choose between two proposed solutions, each one hoping to ensure that communism didn?t sweep across the globe and destroy American ideals of capitalism and democracy. General Douglas MacArthur takes the pro-active stance and says that, assuming it has the capability, the U.S. should attack communism everywhere. President Harry Truman, on the other hand, believed that containing the Soviet communists from Western Europe was the best and most important course of action, and that eliminating communism in Asia was not a priority.

    Read More

  • Canada and The Korean War

    1385 Words  | 3 Pages

    Pearson, Lester B. "Documents on the Korean Crisis." University of Manitoba. January 24, 1951. http://www.umanitoba.ca/libraries/units/archives/canada_war/tribune/website/clippings/korea/Documents_on_the_Korean_Crisis1.shtml (accessed December 18, 2011).

    Read More

  • The Effects Of The Korean Armistice Agreement

    959 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the early 1950’s the Korean Peninsula was a location with much civil unrest and violence. For this reason, it is a miracle that the Korean Armistice Agreement was actually mutually agreed upon by North and South Korea. Even with the constant complications, and early opposition surrounding the Korean Armistice Agreement, the aid of Dwight D Eisenhower made this unrealistic attempt of peace a reality.

    Read More

  • United States Involvement in the Korean War

    955 Words  | 2 Pages

    United States involvement during the Cold War began with the Korean War. The War started on June 25, 1950 when troops from North Korea entered the 38th parallel, which was the boundary established after World War II between North Korea and South Korea. The North was supported by the Soviet Union and People’s Republic of China while the South was later supported by the U.S and its allies. Their attack was one of the first military measures of the Cold War (“Korean War”). Once North Korea invaded South Korea, U.S. involvement took place to prevent further communist regime and their involvement aided in several military developments and also left lasting political and diplomatic affects during the Cold War.

    Read More

  • Crossing the 38th Parallel

    800 Words  | 2 Pages

    The problem the United States, and the decision Truman must make as President, is the choice to cross the border and attempt to take North Korea. In advising President Truman on this decision, uniting Korea under a strong democracy, and proving U.N. authority and strength, are results that only have the minimal risk of Soviet or Chinese intervention, are factors that tip the scale toward the choice to cross the border. Before World War II, Korea was once a unified, independent country, and now by crossing the 38th parallel, the establishment of a unified, independent, democratic government of Korea would be reachable once more. Not only would this decision spread democracy, it would create stability and peace. “Recommendations of the Security Council of 27 June 1950.that Members of the United Nations furnish such assistance to the Republic of Korea as may be necessary to repel the armed attack and restore international peace and security in the area” (United Nations General Assembly, Oct. 1950)

    Read More

  • Liberation, Division, and War

    1729 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Korean War became the first hot water after the Cold War, over 55,000 members of the American troops died during the conflict. Korean War became the first limited war in which the United States’ aim was not to have a complete and total defeat of its enemy. The limited goal of the United States was to protect South Korea; the only rational approach for the United States was to try and protect South Korea in order to avoid the occurrence of the Third World War. The United States also wanted to avoid stretching its finite resources too thinly around the globe; this however, proved to be a frustrating experience for people of the United States since they were used to victory that was achieved during the Second World War. The model of limited war was a difficult word to comprehend among the America...

    Read More

  • US Involvement In The Korean War

    534 Words  | 2 Pages

    Korea was originally under Japanese rule since the beginning of the 20th century, but after WWII it fell to the Soviets in the north and the U.S. in the south to decide what should be done with the enemy’s imperial possessions. After that the U.S. and the Soviets

    Read More

  • US Involvement In The Korean War Analysis

    458 Words  | 1 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • History Of Korea

    722 Words  | 2 Pages

    Korea’s legendary founder, Dangun, established an ancient state which is now known modernly as Pyongyang, located in modern day North Korea. He is known for uniting the people during 2333 B.C. Koreans currently celebrate Dangun Day every October 3rd, known as National Foundation Day, which is supposedly the birthday of this god-like figure. There is no evidence that he actually existed, yet Koreans believe in this original founder of their country.

    Read More

  • The Korean Conflict: The US Containment Policy

    367 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Korean conflict was a devastating conflict, there were over 54,000 casualties as well as 7800 unaccounted for. These numbers were major for the United States. (CNN.com) The increase in taxes of 4% of the GDP was major and the highest it had ever been since WWII and too make that worse the WWII rate was still present. The war affected Americans sensibilities a great deal. Americans were predominantly favorable for the war. The US containment policy was a major reason for our participation. Americans believed in democracy and by no means did they want a communistic rule to come into effect to the United States. We viewed ourselves as a free and just society despite the racial issues that were plaquing our own very existence.

    Read More

  • South Korea

    1783 Words  | 4 Pages

    In 1910, Japan annexed Korea and enforced ruthless control, outlawing Korean culture and language. Despite resistance, several generations grew up more familiar with Japanese than with Korean customs. At the Yalta Conference at the end of World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union jointly established temporary administrative trusteeship over Korea until democratic elections could be held. Japanese forces south of the thirty-eighth parallel surrendered to the United States and forces in the north surrendered to the U.S.S.R. The Soviets blocked attempts to hold nationwide elections, and the two sides became deadlocked. When authorities in the north ignored a United nations resolution for supervised elections in 1948, a pro-Western government was established in the south (the republic of Korea). Later the Soviet Union established the Democratic Peoples’s republic of Korea in the north. In June 1949, U.S. troops withdrew. One year later, North Korean forces invaded South Korea. A United Nations-backed coalition of sixteen member nations sent assistance to South Korea. The resulting war lasted three years and ended in a stalemate. On July 27, 1953, an armistice agreement was signed and a military Armistice Commission with five members for each side was set up to supervise the implementation of the armistice. Since neither the United States nor South Korea ever signed the agreement (although they respect the terms as members of the United Nations), a state of war is formally still in effect.

    Read More

  • The Vietnam War: The Korean War

    2025 Words  | 5 Pages

    “Our Nation Honors Her Sons And Daughters Who Answered The Call To Defend A Country They Never Knew And A People They Never Met.” This is written on the Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C. The Korean War was a costly and devastating war to many people. A lot of civilians and soldiers lost their lives. Before the division, Korea was a colony of Japan. Japan was not a pleasant occupation. Japan forced the Korean citizens to do vigorous work, they attempted to change their language, they tried to switch their names into Japanese names, and they tried to modify their culture. Korea broke away from Japan in 1945 after Japan surrendered in World War II. Korea split at the 38th parallel because they fell into the Cold War. The 38th

    Read More

  • US Intelligence Failure In The Korean War

    1125 Words  | 3 Pages

    The year was 1949, and in the years after World War II (WW II), U.S. and Soviet forces were withdrawing from the Korean peninsula. American intelligence capabilities and responsibilities of the area were piecemeal (Finnegan, 2002). This drawdown reflected Korea’s low priority on the world stage.

    Read More

  • America's Involvement in the Korean War

    1162 Words  | 3 Pages

    America's Involvement in the Korean War The USA emerged from WWII as the dominant Western, democratic superpower. She quickly established for herself a role as world policeman, and defender of the "free world". When, on June 25th 1950, Communist North Korean forces invaded the South of the country, the USAwas quick to step in, and with UN support and approval, sent in military forces to restore the balance. However, it is questionable whether moral principles were the only reason for America's involvement in the Korean War, or whether perhaps the Truman administration had other validation for such a huge scale military campaign. Although the USA and USSR had been allied in WWII, US-Soviet relations quickly disintegrated after the War.

    Read More

  • What Was The Influence Of Mass Media In The 1950's

    449 Words  | 1 Pages

    The U.S. tried to make peace and help North Korea over communism. “...it was a war against the forces of international communism itself...Finally, in July 1953, the Korean War came to an end. In all, some 5 million soldiers and civilians lost their lives during the war. The Korean peninsula is still divided today.” International communism was a widespread issue and it affected millions of people. The U.S. attempted to help North Korea, but South Korea was offended by our concern and it led to the Korean War. The war separated both the north and south peninsulas of

    Read More

More about The Korean War and The US

Open Document