US II History

Lecture # 5: The Korean War

Truman wanted to be “tough on communism” especially after being criticized for being “soft” & “pink”

Little background on Korea:

After WWII, Korea was divided along the 38th parallel

  • North of 38th parallel – communist – Il Sung
  • South of 38th parallel – republic – Rhee

Different groups saw Korean conflict as a civil war, while others saw it as communism vs. democracy.

Kim Il Sung wanted to unite both Koreas (one communist state)

Truman wanted to “contain” communism

Il Sung decided to invade SK on June 22, 1950.

  • SU said they had nothing to do with attack
  • SU didn’t directly, but gave Il Sung their blessing.

June 28, 1950 – Truman decided to take a stand.

Went before UN Security Council and requested to send troops to Korea (SU boycotting UN at this time)

66% US approval rating of Truman’s decision

Q: Who was chosen to command the US troops in Korea?

A: General Douglas MacArthur

Seoul – capital of SK

Seoul had been taken over by NK

MacArthur led an attack at Inchon and halted NK troops

Within a month or two, the UN & US troops retook SK – BUT STILL NOT SATISFIED.

Truman had to “have his cake and eat it too”

With a taste of victory in his mouth, Truman decided to move troops into NK.

Truman wanted to unite both Koreas (one democratic state)

Planned to move all the way up to the Chinese border

At this point, China steps in.

CH claims that any attempt to cross the dividing line would be interpreted as a threat to national security (see maps)

Truman & MacArthur met at Wake Island & MacArthur assured they’d be “home by Christmas”

November 26, 1950 – CH attacked MacArthur’s troops

  • Major miscalculation
  • Underestimated the enemy
  • US thought about using the A-bomb
  • UN troops were pushed back to SK

Eventually, the UN & US troops pushed back up to the 38th parallel

At 38th parallel, a stalemate occurred and lasted for about 18 months.

There is no substitute for victory” – MacArthur

  • Kept trying to get Truman’s permission for more invasions
  • Provoked by US opinion against Truman
  • Truman & MacArthur continued to challenge one another through media
  • April 10, 1951 – Truman dismissed/fired MacArthur for insubordination and other unauthorized activities.
  • General Omar Bradley defended Truman’s decisions.

Q: So how did the Korean War end?

A: 1953 – a settlement was reached where North and South Korea agreed to occupy their respective lands.

The Election of 1952

Major issue: Korean War

Polls showed Truman wasn’t getting it done

Polls also showed that we really didn’t have an alternative, but didn’t like Truman’s work.

Truman was already in the doghouse for dismissing the ever popular MacArthur

Thoughts of MacArthur running for president were real, but short lived – too much defiance in the military – possible corruption?

Truman’s approval rating was 23% in 1951, so in 1952 he announced he would not seek reelection.

Truman left with everything in shambles.

Democrats wanted Eisenhower, but he refused.

So the democrats went with Stevenson.

Adlai Stevenson – Illinois governor

Honest & smart

Claimed there was no immediate end in sight

K C = Korea, Communism, & Corruption

Republicans went with Eisenhower (Ike)

Ike’s running mate: Richard Nixon

  • Spent most of the campaign blasting Stevenson
  • Yet while Nixon was slandering Stevenson, he was amidst his own scandal
  • Nixon caught accepting personal gifts
  • Nixon used Television medium to publicly apologize and plead his case
  • Admitted to accepting a puppy for his daughters
  • Became known as “The Poor Richard Show”
  • Nixon sneakily addressed the scandal without really addressing the scandal (Tricky Dick)

Eisenhower won the election.