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The Korean War 1950-1953

The Korean War 1950-1953. The war was caused by external issues. Korea had been under Japanese occupation during WWII Allied forces and the Soviets agreed to divide Korea along the 38 th parallel Most Koreans wanted unification The Soviets occupied the North, and the US occupied the South

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The Korean War 1950-1953

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  1. The Korean War 1950-1953

  2. The war was caused by external issues • Korea had been under Japanese occupation during WWII • Allied forces and the Soviets agreed to divide Korea along the 38th parallel • Most Koreans wanted unification • The Soviets occupied the North, and the US occupied the South • In response the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) was founded in the North under Communist leader Kim Il-Sung • North Korea wanted to expand its borders and communism into the south • North Korea with support from the USSR and People’s Republic of China invaded South Korea on June 1950

  3. -Korean War was the result of both defensive and offensive reasons: • -South Korea was defending itself against a North Korean attack • -North Korea provoked the war by crossing the border • -Was the result of political causes: • -The US wanted to contain communism; USSR and China wanted communism to expand • -The 38th parallel acted as a political border

  4. Weapons & Technology • Aircraft was the newest technology evolving in warfare at the time • First war to utilize the jet aircraft & saw some of the first helicopters used during a war • Helicopters used for medical evacuation • Weapons used by the US Army Infantry & US Marine Corps were basically the same types used in WWII

  5. Cost of the War • For Korea • Cost in human lives & property was vast • $67 billion (1953 dollars); $535 billion (2008 dollars) • Much of North Korean land was severely damaged due to aerial bombing • For the US • Triple the defense budget was implemented • US defense spending increased dramatically turning at around 10% of American GNP in 1950 • Heavy American casualties and many were taken as POW’s

  6. Role played by outside forces • U.S. asked the UN to remove the North Koreans by force • July 1 troops arrived in Korea, soon joined by 15 other nations, although majority were American troops fought under American General Douglas MacArthur • MacArthur led forces in an amphibious attack at Inchon (near Seoul) • Within a month he retook Seoul & drove the North Koreans back to the 38th parallel • Pushed North Koreans back to the Yalu River (Korean border w/ China) • US rather than just concentrating on a policy of containment, decided on a policy of ‘rollback’  meant liberating North Koreans from Communist rule & reuniting Korea • China became concerned for its own security • November 1950, a force of 200,000 Chinese joined 150,000 North Koreans & sent the UN troops into a rapid retreat

  7. Role played by outside forces • Pyongyang was recaptured in December • End of 1950 North & their allies had retaken all land up to the 38th parallel • January 1951: UN forces recovered their technological advantage & the Chinese army was forced to retreat • Mao provided unlimited numbers of ‘volunteers’ to defeat UN forces • MacArthur suggested the use of nuclear weapons against the Chinese  Truman against this  scared Stalin would retaliate by using it’s own nuclear weapons • MacArthur relieve of command in April 1951

  8. End of the Korean War • Battle lines stabilized near the 38th parallel  stalemate 1951-1953 • Stalin did not want to accept a Communist defeat in Korea • His death in March 1953 = critical to the end of the Korean War • Power struggled ensued in Soviet leadership  Korea no longer regarded as crucial to Soviet Power & influence • New US president was Dwight Eisenhower  election was partly based on withdrawal from Korea • Therefore, the 2 main powers did not see Korea as vital to their interest

  9. End of the Korean War • The war ended in a ceasefire; there was no victory • Ended on July 27th, 1953 with a truce; armistice signed • North Korea and South Korea remain divided • Tensions still exist today

  10. The Korean Armistice Agreement • Longest negotiated armistice in history (negotiated over 2 years and 17 days) • Went into effect at on July 27th, 1953 • Purely a military document

  11. The Korean Armistice Agreement: • Suspended open hostilities • Withdrew military forces and equipment from a 4000 meter wide zone (created a buffer between the two zones) • Prevented both sides from entering the air, ground, or seas on opposing sides • Released POWs • Establishes the Military Armistice Commission (MAC) + other agencies – used to ensure that the truce terms were followed

  12. Division between North Korea and South Korea.

  13. Ceasefire ≠ Peace • The Korean Armistice Agreement was NOT a peace treaty; North Korea and South Korea are still technically at war • Made to be a ceasefire, Peace settlement never came • Attempt to make peace settlements occurred in a conference in Geneva (1954); no agreements settled • Border between North Korea and South Korea is the most heavily militarised border in the world

  14. The Settlement Remains Unstable • The two nations still remain divided • High tensions still exist • Precautions taken to ensure that the armistice isn’t violated have fallen apart • “The Korean War Armistice Agreement is both an important historical and currently relevant document for the security structure of the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and beyond.” – Sarah K. Yun, Director of Public Affairs and Regional Issues for the Korea Economic Institute

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