September 15-19, 1950
Image of the Battle of Inchon US Marine forces launched a surprise amphibious landing on the west coast of Korea on September 15, 1950. US troops landed at the port of Inchon, a location that was said to be too risky, but Douglas MacArthur (UN Supreme Commander) was set on going through with the attack. After the attack, the UN force broke into North Korean supply lines and recaptured the South Korean capital, Seoul. While the landing at Inchon altered the path of the war, the conflict went on to become a drawn out impasse that didn’t end until an agreement in July, 1953. |
October - December 1950
Artifact: Drawing of Chinese military uniform from 1950 Following the CIA's statement that the Chinese would most likely not enter the war, president Truman pushed his troops farther into North Korea. They made it to the Yalu River with orders from Truman not to go any further or the Chinese might become involved. That didn’t work though. The Chinese did become involved because they feared the U.N. forces would advance into China after they reached the border. China immediately sends forces and pushes the Americans back behind the 38th parallel, but that doesn’t mean the Americans wouldn’t cross it again. |
April, 1951
Removal of General MacArthur General Douglas Macarthur (often called “egotistical” and “flamboyant”) and President Harry Truman had an ongoing conflict that was in the public eye for some time. MacArthur was said to be “overstepping his authority” and making unwise decisions, and while the public eye (largely republicans) had a very positive view on him, President Truman did not. MacArthur was removed from his military position by Truman in April, 1951. On April 11, President Truman made a speech saying that MacArthur had been fired “so that there would be no doubt or confusion as to the real purpose and aim of our policy.” |
1950-1953
Artifact: Map of 38th Parallel Division The US feared the advancement of communism, so the US proposed to split Korea in half at the 38th parallel. This proposal went through with Soviet Union agreement. With the Cold War in progress the US and Soviet Union failed to lead to an independent and unified Korea resulting in a divided country. |
General Douglas MacArthur
General MacArthur (26 January 1880 – 5 April 1964) was a five-star American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was in WWI, WWII, and the Korean War, until he was removed from his post during the Korean War by Harry S. Truman. MacArthur was fired because, while he was talented, he was also insubordinate, pompous, and brash. MacArthur was decorated with over 100 military awards including the Medal of Honor, the French Légion d'honneur and Croix de guerre, the Order of the Crown of Italy, the Order of Orange-Nassau from the Netherlands, the Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath from Australia, and the Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers, Grand Cordon from Japan. He died on April 5, 1964 from a liver disease called biliary cirrhosis. |
Korean War
World War II split Korea in half at the 38th parallel: North Korea, which was communist, and an American-occupied South Korea, which was democratic. The Korean War, or Korean Conflict, first started when North Korea invaded South Korea and America (led by Douglas MacArthur) came to the aid of South Korea. MacArthur executed an audacious amphibious attack on Inchon, a port located on the western coast of Korea. MacArthur recaptured Seoul, the capital of Korea, crossed the 38th parallel and planned to push the North Korean army back to the Yalu River, however the Chinese army became wary of the American army and sent troops across the Yalu River. President Harry Truman fired MacArthur and almost got impeached for it (the public viewed MacArthur as a war hero), but managed to obtain his presidency. There was no conclusive “winner” in the Korean War, but North and South Korea stayed separate. |
North Korea against South Korea, communists against anti-communists. Their country was divided in half with US backing South anti-communist Korea and the Soviet Union backing North communist Korea. Korea was split at the 38th parallel dividing the North and South. The decision of dividing Korea at the 38th parallel was proposed by the US with Soviet agreement. Since the Cold War was in progress the US and Soviet Union failed to lead to an independent and unified leader. After the CIA made the assumption that China would most likely not enter the war, president Truman pushed the US troops farther into North Korea. Unlike the Truman Doctrine which was intended to just contain communism, this push into North Korea was an attempt to get rid of communism in North Korea. China feared that the US might attack them since they were communist. So China attacked the US and pushed them back behind the 38th parallel. Fear and mistrust between China and the US made China join the war.
|