COLD WAR CONFLICTS:

KOREAAPRIL 24 & 25,

2015

NUCLEAR WEAPONRY• Objective:• Describe how the U.S.

government fought the Cold War in Korea.

• Purpose:• To learn about international

politics and Cold War conflicts and how the U.S. & USSR narrowly averted WWIII.

• Standard(s):• 5.8 - Students will explain the effects

of Cold War policies on United States involvement in Korea and Vietnam

• H2.[9-12].13 - Explain the effects of Cold War policies on U.S. involvement in Korea and Vietnam.

The 38th Parallel dividing North & South Korea

WARM-UP: ACTIVATING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

• What do you know about the history of Korea in the last 100 years?• Construct a list of 5 points showing what you know.

• What is the political situation like in Korea today?

• AKA: America’s “forgotten war”.• Communism advances in Korea. America struggles to push

back.• Threat = Cold War could flare up into a “Hot” War.• Situation: Chinese Civil War and in Japanese aggression to

China & Korea.

THE KOREAN WAR:BACKGROUND

• Causes: After WWI, Japan acquired land from Germany in China.

• Mid-1920’s Jiang Jieshi (Nationalist) attack communists.• Mao Zedong (Communist) gains support.• Controversy: During WWII Nationalists & Communists worked

together to resist Japanese rule in China. After WWII both sides became enemies.

• Nationalists fled to Taiwan.

KOREAN WAR:BACKGROUND

• During WWII, Japan had control of the Korean Peninsula.

• After WWII: Russians accepted Japanese surrender north of the 38th Parallel. In the south, Americans did the same.

• While never intended to be permanent, Korea was divided.• Soviet-occupied northern zone and American-occupied southern zone.

• Pro-American Govt. formed in S. Korea & Pro-Communist govt. est. in N. Korea.

KOREAN WAR:BACKGROUND

• Koreans on both sides wanted to unify their nation.• The Korean War broke out when N. Korean troops crossed the 38th Parallel. This shocked the U.S.

• We thought (wrongly) that the Soviet Union led the attack.

• Truman saw it as aggression: “If this invasion of S. Korea was allowed to go unchallenged, it would mean a 3rd World War.”

KOREAN WAR:CONFLICT

KOREAN WAR:CONFLICT

• General Douglas MacArthur led K. War campaign.

• Used good strategy to repel the enemy forces and (with U.N. help) pushed back the N. Korean & Chinese forces.

• Chinese warned the U.S. not to advance past the 38th Parallel, MacArthur ignored the warning & pushed back at the Yula River. This created a stalemate.

• MacArthur wanted to break it. He wanted Taiwan to attack China. Pres. Truman disagreed. M.A. sent a letter to Truman attacking the Pres. Policies. Truman FIRED MacArthur for insubordination.

KOREAN WAR:CONFLICT

KOREAN WAR:CONFLICT

• Dwight D. Eisenhower takes over presidency. Threatens to use atomic bombs when peace talks fail.

• Truce signed in 1953. Korea divided almost exactly as it began.• Effects:

• Frustration in the American public. 54,000 soldiers killed. 103,000 wounded.

• Desegregated units. Both whites & blacks fought side by side.• Prevented Communism from spreading.• Signed peace treaty with Japan in 1951 hoping they could maintain

“balance of power” in Asia.

KOREAN WAR:CONCLUSION

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VIDEO: THE COLD WAR• Write on Worksheet.

KOREAN WAR WORKSHEET

COLD WAR TIMELINEQuestions:1. Why did Churchill,

Truman, and Stalin meet in Potsdam?

2. What was the stated purpose of the Eisenhow Doctrine?

3. What two events in 1949 would have been very threatening to those who opposed the worldwide expansion of communism?

WARM-UP: CNN STUDENT NEWS• Receive Notebook and write NAME & CLASS PERIOD # on the front (if possible) and back.•Write down 5 IMPORTANT facts as you watch the video.•1 point = 1 correctly written fact.• I need to see at least (a minimum of) 5 facts.