Truman and the Korean War

1. Truman and the Korean War

2. Truman: A Fair Deal • Truman won the election of 1948 • Tried to pass his “Fair Deal” laws but he met resistance from Rep. and Dem. • He did however • Raise minimum wage to 40 to 75 cents • Extended Social Security to 10 million more Americans • Improved cities and TVA • Was defeated in • National health insurance • Civil rights

3. The Second Red Scare • The stress of the Cold War with the U.S.S.R. along with 1946 reports of spying in Canada frightened Americans • On little to no evidence • People believed that there was a plot(communist takeover of the United States) • Truman March 22nd 1947 • Issued an Executive Order to check the loyalty of all federal employees • Seemed that they were guilty until proven innocent • 3 million employees were cleared, 2900 resigned, and 300 were dismissed

4. Red Scare Cont. • In December 1947 Attorney General “Tom Clark” • Listed 90 organizations that were “disloyal” to the U.S. • Membership to one of these groups made you disloyal • HUAC – House Un-American Activities Committee • Richard M. Nixon – Began his political career here • Held public hearings (guilty until innocent) • Treated people that refused to testify as hostile and guilty

5. The Situation Worsens • Soviet Union gets the atomic bomb • Klaus Fuchs – scientist who made the first bomb for the U.S. is arrested by the British as a spy • Confessed to given the Soviets information from 1943-1947 • Mao Zedong – Communist party of China takes power • Forces Chiang Kai-shek to the island of Taiwan

6. Rise of McCarthy • Republican Senator Joseph R. McCarthy • Tried to gain political influence and power • Stated that “The state department was infested with Communist agents.” • He was unable to find a single communist agent • Played on the fears of Americans

7. Protecting the U.S. • McCarran Internal Security Act • Passed by congress (did not want to seem soft on Communist threat) • All communist/communist groups had to register with the state department • Gave the president powers to detain communist • Truman vetoed the McCarran Act • Congress passed it with a 2/3 vote • McCarran-Walter Act (new immigration law) • Vetoed again and passed by 2/3 vote • Quote system that favored Western Europeans

8. Fears Increase • Julius and Ethel Rosenberg • Morton Sobell • Communist spies – passed info to Russian about the atomic bomb • Named a crime “Worse then murder” • Rosenbergs were executed • Sobell got 30 years • Similar to the Sacco and Vanzetti case • Evidence was not very clear, not all Americans believed they were guilty

9. Civil War in Korea • Korea – Borders the Soviet Union and China • Both Communist at this point in history • Russian troops had moved in as far as the 38th parallel • Americans had freed the people south of that line • Korea was suppose to be united under 1 government • Soviet Union prevented the vote from taking place • Set up puppet government in the North

10. Rhee and the conflict • Syngman Rhee was elected president in the South • Had been fighting for Korean Freedom for the past 50 years • Imprisoned by the Japanese and studied @ Harvard/Princeton • Rhee led the South to liberate the North • North Korea • Armed and organized by Soviet Union • Invaded South Korea wanting a quick victory in Korea

11. U.S. and the U.N. • Truman asked the U.N. for help • Soviet Union – walked out of the U.N. 6 month pervious because the U.N. would not give Communist China a spot. • U.N. passed (9-0) “invasion is breach of peace” • Truman then • Order the 7th fleet to protect Taiwan • Non-Communist China

12. The U.S. Helps South Korea • Truman instructed MacArthur • To ready arms, naval, air support for South Korea • U.N. enters the war • U.N. asked member nations to aid South Korea • 19 nations contributed troops • MacArthur – who was in charge of Japan’s Occupation was now put in charge of South Korea • Truman thought that as Commander and Chief • He did not have to ask Congress for approval to order troops into battle

13. Set backs • U.N. and U.S. forces were set back to Pusan • MacArthur on the move • Had built up forces and planned a counter-offensive • He landed troops in Inchon and was able to recapture the Southern Capitol of Seoul • South Korea was re-established

14. China Attacks • Should the U.N. forces stop at the 38th Parallel? • Should the U.N. create a unified Korea with a Democracy? • IF the forces cross the 38th parallel China will attack • Threat was not taken seriously • China massed 1 million “volunteers” to fight • Marched their troops into North Korea and towards the 38 parallel • U.N. was forced to retreat 60 miles south of 38th parallel

15. The Brand New War • MacArthur declared, “This is an entirely new war.” • Wanted the U.S. to • blockade Chinese coast • Bomb the mainland • Invade and restore Chiang Kai-shek to power • Joint Chiefs refused his request • “Wrong war, wrong place, wrong time, and with the wrong enemy.” • Forces slowly were able to move up back to the 38th parallel

16. The President Fires MacArthur • MacArthur spoke out angrily against the strategy of a limited war. • Freeing South Korea was not enough, must free them from communist neighbors • Truman removes MacArthur from Office • Returned home an American Hero • Told Congress, “In war there can be no substitute for victory” • You could not talk about victory • Truman – Russia has got the bomb • There would be no winner only losers

17. The United States Builds Its Defense • General Eisenhower got 4 new divisions to back up NATO • U.S. shipped Guns and Supplies to Western Europe Allies • ANZUS Pact • Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and U.S. • “Peace and reconciliation” • John Foster Dulles – Japan would be a beacon of Democracy • No reparations or punishment (Full Sovereignty) • U.S. got military bases on Japanese soil • Cornerstone of U.S. security in the Far East against Russia