Korea+9321



9 Facts

June 1950 at the 38th parallel, North Korean forces crossed into South Korea.

To Truman, it was a "test case" for his containment policy, and the U.S. appealed to the UN to stop the Communist move into South Korea.

Troops from 16 countries - mostly from the U.S. - were sent to fight, with General Douglas MacArthur leading the UN forces.

MacArthur made a daring move after being pushed back by the North Koreans. UN troops landed behind the North Korean lines at Inchon; the attack succeeded.

Now facing troops from the North and South, North Korean forces fell back and MacArthur, upon being granted permission, invaded North Korea. This was done in the hope of reuniting North and South Korea under a non-communist government.

But things went wrong, The UN forces pushed too far northward, too close to China, and received a warning to stop.

The UN foolishly ignored the warning, and November 25, 1950 brought a wave of Chinese Communist troops that pushed the UN forces back all the way into South Korea.

By early 1951, the two sides were deadlocked along the 38th parallel.

MacArthur wished to blockade and bomb China, but Truman refused, causing MacArthur to run a mini campaign to gain support for his aims. In response, Truman fired him.

The war dragged on into July of 1951, by which time truce talks were suggested, but these only dragged on longer. In the end, it ended in a stalemate, with communism merely being contained in Korea.

3 Pictures 





2 Maps



North and South Korea Overview Map during the Korean War:

1 Quote "I now close my military career and just fade away-an old soldier who tried to do his duty as God gave him the light to see that duty. Good-bye."

~Douglas MacArthur, in his farewell speech to Congress after being fired by President Truman.