2. Korea had been ruled by Japan
since 1910
Japan surrenders to Allies in
September 1945
Allies decide to divide Korea
along 38th parallel
Soviet troops will occupy the
north
U.S. troops will occupy the south
Koreans are excluded from these
conferences
Division and occupation were
intended to be temporary
3. Syngman Rhee
Korean nationalist who had been
exiled by the Japanese
Wants to unify Korea
Does not want to trade Japanese
imperialism for American/Soviet
1948 becomes first President of
South Korea
Establishes authoritarian regime
Supported by U.S. because he is
anti-communist
4. Kim Il-Sung
Communist guerilla leader who
had been exiled by the Japanese
Served in the Soviet Red Army
during WWII
Stalin placed him in charge of
newly formed North Korea
Wanted to unify Korea under
communist rule
5. North and South engage in reunification negotiations
Talks are off and on for two years
Neither side will change political ideology
Border skirmishes are common
Nearly 10,000 North and South Korean soldiers are killed in
battle before the war even starts
6. June 25, 1950 North Korean troops launch a surprise
attack on South Korea
United Nations Security Council votes to support
South Koreans
Soviets boycott the meeting
Truman sees this as an opportunity for containment
15 UN Member Nations send troops
88% of troops are from U.S.
Combined forces led by General MacArthur
7. MacArthur’s troops
push North Koreans
past 38th parallel and
engage in an offensive
to “liberate” North
Korea from the
Communists
U.N. troops reach the
Yalo River, North
Korea’s border with
China
8. Mao Zedong warns that crossing into China will mean
full-scale war
Truman knows this might risk war with Soviets, who
now have a nuclear bomb
MacArthur wants to engage China and is fired for
insubordination
Chinese forces cross
the Yalo River into
Korea on October 16,
1950
9. Combined North Korean and Chinese forces push U.N.
troops back into South Korea in January 1951
For six months, territory is traded back and forth
within 100 miles of the 38th parallel
In July 1951, armistice negotiations begin but no
agreement is reached until July 1953
Boundary at 38th parallel is reestablished and a two-
mile-wide Demilitarized Zone is created
10. First armed conflict of the Cold War
“Proxy War”- when opposing powers use third parties as
substitutes for fighting each other
First time US engaged with an enemy in possession of
a nuclear bomb
First containment of communism outside of Europe
First racially integrated US troops
Test of the United Nations as an international peace-
keeping body
Editor's Notes
Korean independence was discussed at Cairo. At Yalta, division was discussed and finalized at Potsdam. Moscow Dec 1945 set up 5-year trusteeship.
Mao had been conducting aerial raids but not officially involved in the war. Begged by Kim to intervene. Asked via telegram by Stalin, though S made it clear no Soviet troops would be sent (not true). Mao sees a chance to prove himself to Stalin.
