Korean War Key Decisions

Korean War Key Decisions

HIS/135

November 29, 2015

Professor

Korean War Key Decisions

• The Soviet Union violated agreements between North Korea regarding payment of ammunition and supplies. North Korea did not have the proper equipment to make a move on South Korea. The United States withdrew most of their troops in mid-1949.
• North Korea attacked South Korea “when the American government implied that it did not consider South Korea within its own “defense perimeter.” This attack was done without Stalin’s approval. The United States appointed General Douglas MacArthur to neutralize the fight in September.
• President Truman appealed to the UN taking proper action to step in and aid South Korea. General MacArthur was placed in charge of the UN soldiers.
• President Truman seen an opportunity to push back the North Korean soldiers, and start winning destinations in North Korea. Truman’s goal was to unify North Korea with their democratic influence. The reason was accepted by the UN.
• China entered the war when the MacArthur led UN took over the North Korea capital Pyongyang. China felt pressure that the UN would just keep going on invade China; which at that time became communist.
• President Truman did not want direct conflict with China because it could have caused another World War. Instead of continuing forward with war, President Truman looked to negotiate the war did not increase at all. This stance President Truman took upset General MacArthur.
• General MacArthur felt the United States should continue fighting the Chinese, and especially since they had become a communist country. President Truman’s stance on the matter held MacArthur back and he felt restricted in his command. General MacArthur wrote a letter expressing his distaste, and President Truman had to relieve him of his duty.
• The UN were concerned prisoners were mistreating by the communist. The decision to whether to come home or not was given to the prisoners.
• Dwight D. Eisenhower grew allies by aiding countries who were anticommunist. China ended the Korean War when the threat of nuclear bombs were becoming clearer.

References

Brinkley, A. (2012). American history: Connecting with the past (14th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Kim, A., & Min, K. (2015). On the Arms Trade between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Soviet Union in 1949 and 1950. Historian, 77(3), 518-536. doi:10.1111/hisn.12071 Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date