The Korean War
Homework
1. Write a script for a radio broadcast similar to what was in
the video, that details the course of the Korean War from
beginning to end, and explains the impacts that resulted.
2. Your broadcast will run approximately 3 to 4 minutes in
length and would be equal to 2 to 2.5 pages (double
spaced, size 12 Times New Roman font).
3. This is not an assignment that requires your opinion; just
hard facts, laid out in clear and simple terms. Refer to the
presentation for a loose outline of the material, and your
textbook and notes for a more in depth understanding of
it.
Prelude to War in Korea
• A civil war in Korea between Communist
North Korea and (barely) Democratic South
Korea
• With U.S.S.R.’s backing, North Korea launches
attack on South Korea who is aided by U.S.
• U.S. forces are sent in under the guise of a
U.N. backed military action
• It was sanctioned as a U.N. action because
U.S.S.R. was boycotting the U.N. (they had a
security council veto) for refusing to admit
Communist China
Chairman Mao Zedong announcing the founding of
the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949
U.S. and U.N. Intervention
• South Korean and U.S. forces are pushed back
to area around Pusan
• Gen. MacArthur launches attack at Inchon,
150 miles behind North Korean lines
• U.N. forces (South Korean and U.S., really)
push North Korean army almost to the
Chinese border
• The Chinese warn the U.S. that they will
attack if U.S. tries to unify North/South Korea
by force
• American officials disregard this warning
The Korean Demilitarized Zone right after the war ended in 1953
with North Koreans on the left, Americans on the right
China Steps In
• The U.N. forces push near the Chinese border
• Chinese launch counterattack on
overextended U.N. forces
• This is one of the biggest military intelligence
failures in U.S. history
• The Armistice Line near the original
North/South Korea border is in effect on June
27, 1953
Korean War Effects at Home
• What does this mean for the U.S. back home?
• The Korean War take places less than 5 years
after the end of WWII
• Having begun a population boom (What is
this generation called?) and suburban
resettlement, the U.S. is complacent on the
home front
• The government views the spread of
Communism in absolute terms
• It must be stopped anywhere and
everywhere
Democracy vs. Communism
• Because the U.S. believed it had to stop
communism from spreading, they find
themselves propping up a profoundly
undemocratic government in South Korea
• Basically, it was a lesser of evils decision
• The application of massive firepower in
response to small problems like a single sniper
resulted in the destruction of entire villages
and their inhabitants to neutralize the threat
War in Korea: Diplomatic Impacts
• Gen. Curtis Le May estimates that Air Force
bombings kill upwards of a million Koreans
• The Korean War legitimizes the U.N. as a
world power while confirming the suspicions
of NSC-68 (which were…)
• At the outset of the war, the U.S. orders the
7th Fleet to protect the Nationalist Chinese in
Taiwan (who were the Nationalists?)
• This leads to greater hostile tension with
China for the next 20+ years
War in Korea: Diplomatic Impacts
• Seeing the spread of communism turn from
politically to militarily induced, NATO pushes
to rearm West Germany and other NATO
allies
• U.S. forces are permanently stationed
throughout European NATO countries
• The fear of another war, this time with the
U.S.S.R., in Europe is great
• With the Soviets, the U.S. and Britain holding
nuclear weapons, a deep seeded worry is
prevalent across the globe
Homework (yay!)
1. Write a script for a radio broadcast similar to what was in
the video, that details the course of the Korean War from
beginning to end, and explains the impacts that resulted.
2. Your broadcast will run approximately 3 to 4 minutes in
length and would be equal to 2 to 2.5 pages (double
spaced, size 12 Times New Roman font).
3. This is not an assignment that requires your opinion; just
hard facts, laid out in clear and simple terms. Refer to the
presentation for a loose outline of the material, and your
textbook and notes for a more in depth understanding of
it.