Korean+War

 Robert Lambert 10/18/10     4th Period

**//__Korean War__//**

__ The Causes of the War __

The Korean War was a conflict between Communist and non-Communist forces in Korea from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. At the end of World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into Soviet (North Korean) and U.S. (South Korean) zones of occupation. In 1948 rival governments were established: The Republic of Korea was proclaimed in the South and the People's Democratic Republic of Korea in the North. The main cause of the war was the communist agression by North Korea toward South Korea.

__ Major and Political Leaders involved in this war __

President Truman limited the war to the Korean peninsula. General MacArthur had encouraged widening the war to hit Chinese bases in Manchuria. Russian leader Khruschev and China Chairman Mao made a mistake by boycotting the United Nations permitting the United States to obtain a United Nation mandate for supporting South Korea. Overall, the Communists were not permitted to absorb South Korea and in response the Chinese prevented the United States from absorbing North Korea into South Korea.

__ How the Americans perceive the war on their personal lives __

US citizens were still recovering from World War II. They were still trying to digest the names of Guadal canal, New Guinea, the Solomons, Pearl Harbor, Wake Island, Coral Sea, Midway, the Philippines, Anzio, and the Huertgen Forest, etc. Returning World War II veterans were trying to find jobs and build families and homes. Korea was way out in left field for them, but we largely haven’t heard of it for thousands of miles away. Americans wanted the war to end, and fast. The peace talks had been going on for a long time with no success. The war cost 54,000 American lives and $67 billion in expenditures. The war also increased fear of communist aggression and prompted a hunt for Americans who might be blamed for the communist gains.

__ Factors that led to public support or opposition to the war/Leaders of the support and opposition __ From the beginning of our country until the end of WWII, our battles / wars made sense to the masses for the most part. During WWII most Americans would do whatever they could to support the war effort. They knew why we were fighting. By June 27, 1950, Seoul, the capital of South Korea, was captured. South Koreans panicked as North Korea easily invaded their country. The United States along with the United Nations decided to take a stand - if communism was allowed to spread in Korea, the United Nations feared it would only spread more, to close countries such as Japan. Also, the option of using the Atom Bomb, as the United States had done at the end of World War II just a few years earlier, was no longer an option. Russia had developed their own atomic bomb by now. Any nuclear attacks would only lead to nuclear war. Things got confusing therefore support drop greatly probably due to confusion. Plus the Korean War was very short, it came and went. Likewise, moving on to Vietnam there was even less support from home, possibly more protests than support.

__ What events brought an end to American Involvement in the war? __ UN troops continued retreating as North Koreans and Chinese soldiers attacked down towards the 38th parallel. They crossed the 38th parallel--again, on January 1st. By January 3rd, 1951, Seoul was lost to the communists again, along with Kimpo Airfield. In March, Seoul was regained for the second time. On March 31st, UN troops pushed communists back to the 38th parallel again. MacArthur wanted to widen the attack--part of what got him fired. President Truman fired MacArthur on April 11th and wanted peace talks. General Ridgway took over MacArthur's job and General James Van Fleet took over Ridgway's old position. The 1952 presidential campaigns heavily revolved around the Korean War. Americans wanted the war to end, and fast. The peace talks had been going on for a long time with no success. Dwight D. Eisenhower, a popular general from World War II, ran for office. He said he would go to Korea himself if he won the election. He won in November, 1952, and followed through with his promise. The warring parties signed an armistice in 1953 that China and North and South Korea would never fight and to have peace. South Korea wanted to remain independent, while North Korea, the soviets, and the Chinese wanted to spread communism. South Korea had no chance in stopping the soviets advancement. The soviets had taken control of the country had left only a small piece of the peninsula, Pusan. South Korea asked the United Nations to get involved, and that's when they got aid to resist communism.

__ What were the primary changes brought about by this conflict? __ In the aftermath of the Korean War, the country was dealing with many problems - economic, social and political. The old patriot, Syngman Rhee, unable to see that he had outlived his usefulness, clung tenaciously to power. Post-war recovery was different in the two Koreas. South Korea stagnated in the first post-war decade, but later industrialized and modernized. Contemporary North Korea remains underdeveloped. The economy of South Korea is a modern free market economy, and South Korea is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and G-20 groups. In the 1990s North Korea faced significant economic disruptions. The North Korean famine is believed to have killed as many as 2.5 million people. The CIA World Factbook estimates North Korea's GDP (Purchasing power parity (PPP)) is $40 billion, which is 3.0% of South Korea's $1.196 trillion GDP (PPP). North Korean personal income is $1,800 per capita, which is 7.0% of the South Korean $24,500 per capita income.