2. Chinese Nationalists vs. Communist
forces
• The U.S.’s policy of containment led to their
involvement in several conflicts in Asia.
• Chinese Nationalists had been struggling with
Communist forces before WWII.
• During the war, they temporarily put their
strife on hold to fight against Japanese troops
who were invading their land.
• After WWII ended, the strife between the two
groups resumed.
3. Financial Assistance
• The U. S. didn’t want to see China fall to
Communism, so they sent the Chinese
Nationalists $2 billion to aid them in their fight.
• Due to corruption and incompetence, the money
was squandered and not used for its intended
purpose.
• By 1949, the Chinese capital of Beijing was
captured by Communist forces.
• This was also the same year that the Soviets
tested their 1st atomic bomb.
4. Communism-the law of the land
• After Beijing fell to Communism, the U. S. quit
sending them financial assistance.
• The Communist Party successfully established the
People’s Republic of China in October of 1949.
• Less than 1 year later, the People’s Republic of
China signed a treaty with the Soviet Union.
• The U. S. and other Western nations began to
fear that China and the Soviet Union would begin
spreading Communism to other European
nations.
5. Making friends with Japan
• After China (who had been our best ally in
Asia) fell to Communism, the U. S. realized
that they needed to change their policy
regarding Japan.
• They began to help Japan try to rebuild their
industries.
• West Germany would be our key to defending
Europe against Communism and Japan would
be our key to defending Communism in Asia.
10. Dividing the Territory
• Japan controlled the Korean peninsula until the
end of WWII.
• Once the Allies was sure that Japan was going to
be defeated, they agreed to allow Korea to be
independent.
• The leaders decided to divide Korea along the
38th parallel.
• The top portion of Korea would be North Korea
and would be Communist. The Southern portion
would be non-Communist.
11. The Division of Korea
Soviet troops would control the Northern part
of Korea while the Americans controlled the
South Korea.
14. Militarism
There was
constant tension
between North
Korea and South
Korea.
The Soviet Union
began supplying
North Korea with
military assistance.
This aid allowed
them to quickly
build up an army.
15. Reasons for War
• June 25, 1950, North Korean troops invaded the
South Korean border.
• South Korean troops were ill-equipped to fight
the Northern forces and were easily defeated by
the North Korean troops.
• Since the United States is allied with South Korea,
they quickly came to their defense by sending in
the Navy and the Air Force.
• When U. S. forces advanced into North Korea,
their ally (China) came to their defense.
16.
17. Support from the United Nations
Truman asked for
assistance from the
UN and succeeded in
getting it because the
Soviet representative
wasn’t present for
the vote (He had
been boycotting the
UN over its decision
concerning China).
With the U. N. firmly
behind him, Truman
ordered General
Douglas MacArthur
to remove American
troops from Japan
and send them to
Korea.
18. Inchon Landing
• In September of 1950, General MacArthur
ordered an invasion at the port of Inchon.
• This completely caught the North Koreans by
surprise.
• They were forced to flee back across the 38th
parallel into North Korea.
• MacArthur’s troops continued to push the
North Korean troops until they reached the
border with China at the Yalu River.
20. China Enters the War
The People’s Republic of China warned the UN troops against
continuing to advance near their border.
After their warnings were ignored, Chinese troops were sent in to
force UN troops back across the 38th parallel.
General MacArthur was so angered by the actions of the Chinese
troops that he asked for approval to expand the war to include
blockades of Chinese ports and nuclear bombings of Chinese cities.
21. The Firing of General MacArthur
• Truman was adamantly against expanding the
war into China.
• General MacArthur was so upset with
Truman’s decision that he began to publicly
criticize him and the direction of the war.
• Truman was forced to fire MacArthur for
insubordination in April 1951.
22. MacArthur goes Home
• Even after Truman fired General MacArthur,
he remained popular with the public.
• It was Truman’s popularity that began to
suffer among many Americans at home.
• Congress and the military did support
Truman’s commitment to a “limited war”.
• Truman did not want a nuclear war to break
out in Europe.
23. SEATO
• After the Korean War, the U. S. became more
involved in Asia.
• The signed defense agreements with South
Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Australia.
• The U. S. also began sending aid to French
forces who were fighting communism in
Vietnam.
25. The Armistice
• North Korea and South Korea never officially
ended the war.
• They signed an armistice in 1953 to end the 3
year war.
• An armistice is a truce, not an official peace
treaty. Since it’s not an official end to the war,
either side can re-declare war.
• North Korea has done this 3 times since 1953:
2003, 2009, and 2013.
26. Casualties of War
North Korea lost
approximately 1
million soldiers.
South Korea lost
approximately 1.2
million soldiers.
The United States
lost approximately
50,000 soldiers.
China lost
approximately
600,000 soldiers.
27.
28. Effects of War
• After the war, thousands of families were
separated.
• The border between North Korea and South
Korea is currently the most fortified border in
the world.
• The fortified border that separates North and
South Korea is 155 miles long and 2.5 miles
wide.
