In 1950, the Korean War began between the two sides. Since then, both countries have created their own way of life that includes their economy, government, and the way they live life. Brief History of Korean War during the Cold War The Korean War was a war between the Republic of Korea, South Korea, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North Korea. It began on June 25, 1950 (Gosfield) when about 75,000 North Korean soldiers crossed the 38th Parallel (Korean War). The 38th Parallel is a location of the Demilitarized Zone, or the DMZ, which separates North and South Korea (Fry).
“The Japanese had more than 2,000,000 troops in the home lands, and were training millions of irregulars” pg. 168 Readings in United States History. President Truman was determined to find a way to have Japan surrender from the war. Truman held a conference on June 18, 1945 where he would be discussing with the chiefs to take a look at different views of approaching the Japanese. After multiple ideas along with deep thought, Truman along with the chiefs decided the most efficient, least costly and less bloody approach would to be dropping the atomic bombs on the Japanese home land.
MacArthur set out to sway his country and his administration into supporting his idea of war and strategy in Korea, while Truman set out to limit it. The mainstay in MacArthur’s argument for broadening the war and utilizing the multitude of resources available to the U.S. was that China was fighting an inherently weak modern war, relying mostly on ground forces and without an industry to supply those forces. He viewed Chinese forces as easily defeatable by disrupting the limited supply systems in place and creating blockades to cut off the distribution of more men. Because China could not deploy an air force or turn out a navy, it was unable to defend itself with larger munitions. Achieving a victory by utilizing tactical advantages, MacArthur felt he could achieve victory within a reasonable time.
[34] In South Korea the war is usually referred to as the 6–2–5 War (yuk-i-o jeonjaeng), reflecting the date of its commencement on 25 June. [citation needed] In North Korea the war is officially referred to as the Fatherland Liberation War (Choguk haebang chǒnjaeng). Alternately,
Additionally the conflict in Korea allowed the USA to demonstrate its military capabilities to the world, and help to increase UN credibility. However, despite US concession to accept containment as an accomplishment, North Korea remaining communist can be seen as an American failure. In 1950, the US made the decision to invade North Korea. This switch to rollback policy shows that their goals were higher than just containment. They were defeated by Chinese ‘dragon’ attacks, which in December 1950 caused the most humiliating retreat in US history, totalling 300 miles.
He sought to negotiate a solution with them and insisted that there is no wider war. MacArthur's going public in arguing for war with China- General MacArthur insisted the U.S was fighting the Chinese and that it should attack China either by an invasion or a bombing of the border. He was warned by Truman more than once to keep his objections to himself. However in March 1951, he wrote a letter to House Republican leader Joseph W. Martin stating “There is no substitute for victory”. Shortly after he was relieved of command which caused a huge public outrage.
Therefore, the US created unconditional terms of surrender, knowingly going against the Japanese ethic of honour and against the institute of the emperor, whom most Americans probably wanted dead. Consequently, the use of the atomic bomb became a way to avenge America's fallen soldiers while also keeping the USSR in check in Europe. The Japanese civilian casualties did not matter in this strategy. Also, it did not prevent the Cold War, as the USSR was just a few years behind on a-bomb research. At the time, revenge, geopolitics and an expensive project that could not be allowed to simply rust away, meant the atomic bomb had to be hastily deployed “in the field” in order to see its power and aftermath – though little was known about radiation and its effects on humans.
In response to the Berlin Blockade, the U.S. carried out a massive effort to supply the two million Berlin citizens with food, fuel and other goods by air force over 6 months. The airlift forced Soviets to end blockade in 1949. China then plunged into a full scale Civil War that was beyond control of the U.S government. Mao and Stalin signed a Sino-Soviet treaty of mutual assistance that placed China in the Russian orbit. The American response to the communist triumph states that the department refused to recognize the legitimacy of the new regime in Beijing and the U.S focused on Japan as its main Ally in Asia.
Aid agencies have estimated that up to two million people have died since the mid-1990s because of acute food shortages caused by natural disasters and economic mismanagement. The country relies on foreign food aid. The totalitarian state also stands accused of systematic human rights abuses. Amnesty International estimates that hundreds of thousands of people are held in detention facilities, in which it says that torture is rampant and execution commonplace. Pyongyang has accused successive South Korean governments of being US "puppets", but South Korean President Kim Dae-jung's visit in 2000 signalled a thaw in relations.
On 25th June 1950, ninety thousand North Korean soldiers invaded South Koreas border defences, The Korean war had begun. This small scale civil war would escalate into an international conflict. Historically, Korea had once been a united country, under Japanese rule for between 1905 and 1945 however, the Japanese were unruly and did not treat the Koreans well. At the end of the Second World War it was decided that the country would be divided along the 38th parallel and occupied by soviet troops in the North and American troops in the South. Syngman Rhee, who had spent some years exiled in America, became the president of South Korea in 1948, while Kim Il Sung, having fought for the Russian red army during the war became leader of the People’s Democratic Republic (Communist) in North Korea.