10- Korean War

1. It started out with in Sept. 1949; the Communists defeated the anticommunist Nationalists (supported by the USA) in a civil war in China. Mao Zedong became head of the new Communist gov. Many Americans were shocked.
2. Korea split in 2 at the 38th parallel with Soviets taking the north and USA the south.
3. In June of 1950 North forces crossed the line and the Korean War started. Truman responded immediately he asked the UN for 16 countries to help fight.
4. Out of the 16 countries to help fight US was the main supply and General Douglass MacArthur took command of all UN forces.
5. 1 of the most dangerous plans started off as the North Koreans pushed the South almost to Pusan. Then MacArthur then landed troops at Inchon on Northern lines, it was dangerous but it worked.
6. The North then retreated back to the 38th parallel. MacArthur wanted to attach the North he hoped that it might lead to a reunion of the 2 Koreas.
7. The UN forces pushed north beyond the 38th to Yalu River. Because it was so close to China, China warned them to stop because they saw it as a threat and they would enter the war soon if it did not stop.
8. China gave in a started to fight on November 25, 1950 many Chinese troops attached Korea. IT then drove the South back to the 38th.
9. MacArthur was fired because he wanted to bomb China even if the president didn’t agree with him. He was ordered home and praised as a hero.
10. Eisenhower was elected president. He promised to end the war fast and he did making an agreement with North Korea and China. He also warned that he could drop nuclear bombs on China. The fighting ended on July 1953 and the country was divided at the 38th parallel and communism was contained.