The Korean War
1. Bell Ringer: Sample AP Questions (7)
2. Lecture: Cold War 1950-1963 (25)
3. Red Scare Clip (5)
4. Truman Hate Mail (12)
5. Cold War Political Cartoons (10)
6. Kennedy Cold War Speech POV (20)
Announcement
• Focus Questions 24-26
– Chapter 24, Question 1 on Nationalism
– Chapter 25, Questions 1, 2, 4, 6
– Chapter 26, Questions 2 and 4
• AP Exam Practice Session is still scheduled, but
location is not certain at this time.
• AP Make up Session is April 24th, at 8 AM or 4
PM in the Cafeteria.
AP EXAM STUFF
• The Exam is May 15th, starts at 8 AM.
• You need to get here early, they will NOT let
you test if you arrive late. It will be in the Aux
Gym.
• For those not taking the exam. You will be
taking an AP exam to get the experience of AP
testing, and it will be held at the same time as
the AP Test. This will be in room 405.
US v. Soviet Union
• After WWII, both sides
had troops in Korea, and
neither side wanted to
leave.
• Divided nation along 38th
Parallel.
• Soviets leave in 1949 with
strong army in place.
• US leaves months later,
with a relatively weak
army.
North Korea
• N. Korea Communists
invade S. Korea in 1950.
• Americans win UN
agreement to invade after
the Soviets boycott the
meeting.
• After MacAuthur decides
to move troops into N.
Korea, it goes from
“containment” to a fight
against communism.
Stalemate
• American and UN forces
take the northern half of
Korea easily. China gets
scared.
• They send armies in and
push back forces to the 38th.
• MacAuthur said, “we are
really fighting the Chinese,
lets bomb them.”
• Controversy ensues when
Truman and MacAuthur
come into conflict.
MacArthur
• He writes a letter to
Representative Joseph
Martin.
• “There is no substitute for
victory.”
• Truman hears about it,
and removes MacArthur
for insubordination.
• 69% side with MacArthur,
and it shows in the
election of 1952.
– Although the General’s
comments to Congress
limited his influence over
the people.
Stalemate, again.
• Fighting stays within the
38th parallel as a truce is
reached between the two
sides.
• It takes two years, but the
conflict generally ends in
1953.
• We still have bases along
the 38th, and now North
Korea is experimenting
with nuclear weapons.
McCarthy and the Red Scare
• Joseph McCarthy begins a
crusade against
Communism in the early
1950s that turns into a
“Red Scare”
• Everyone is accused, and
some are blacklisted as a
result.
• Julius and Ethel
Rosenberg executed as
spies for the Soviets. 1953
Bay of Pigs Invasion
• 1961, this was an attempt
to eliminate Fidel Castro’s
Communist government.
• We supplied arms to
revolutionary soldiers, and
the CIA provided
intelligence.
• It was touted as a
guaranteed success, but
ends up a huge blunder. The
revolutionaries lose, and
the United States is
embarrassed by this loss.
Cuban Missile Crisis
• 1962, it is found that the Soviets
are transporting nuclear weapons
into Cuba.
• They claim it is for defense;
however, these missiles can reach
major US cities.
• Kennedy stages a blockade of
Cuba to stop the flow of nuclear
weapons. Khrushchev attempts
to claim nuclear war is inevitable.
• 13 days and several speeches and
conversations later, Khrushchev
turns the ships around.
Mutually Assured Destruction
• Prior to 1962, it was a constant
nuclear arms race.
• After the Cuban Missile Crisis,
people know how close the
Earth came to annihilation,
leaders begin to discuss
limiting the use of nuclear
weapons.
• After Kennedy is assassinated,
an increased presence in
Vietnam leads to a new look
into Containment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yBUSvC3z
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Letter Activity
• Each group will receive
a letter or two from a
parent or constituent
involved with the
Korean Conflict.
• Answer the following
question and note the
impact of the letter.
1. What is the view of
the person writing
President Truman?
What is their tone?
2. After hearing all of the
letters, what is the
overall reaction to the
war in Korea? Why
may this be biased?
Truman v. MacArthur
• Each group will receive
1. What is the view of
a letter or two from a
the person writing
constituent on the firing
President Truman?
of Douglas MacArthur
What is their tone?
• Answer the following
question and note the
2. After hearing all of the
impact of the letter.
letters, what is the
overall reaction to the
firing of MacArthur?