U.S. Containment of Communism in Asia: the Korean War

1. Korea: Timeline Prior to the Cold War

Key dates:
 

1905: Japan defeats Russia in Russo-Japanese War; Japan occupies Korea

1910: Japan annexes Korea

1945: Defeat of Japan by Allies leaves Korea under Allies Administration.  USSR occupies north of 38th parallel; US occupies south of 38th parallel.

1948: Dec. 12: U.N. General Assembly declares the US backed government in South Korea the sole legitimate government in all Korea.

1949: US Armed Forces are withdrawn from South Korea.

2. Korean Conflict in the Cold War Era

Key Dates:

 
June 25, 1950: Kim Il Sung of North Korea orders invasion of South Korea

June 27, 1950: U.N. Security Council calls on members to "furnish ... assistance... to repel the armed attack."  USSR is absent from vote.

July-Sept. 1950: N. Koreans sweep south, capturing all of South Korea except the Pusan Perimeter in southeastern Korea.

Sept. 15, 1950: Despite lack of approval from Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS),  Gen. Douglas MacArthurís "X Corps" lands at Inchon.  N.Korean retreat is begun.

Sept. 27, 1950: Seoul is retaken by MacArthur's forces.

Oct. 2, 1950: China warns via Indian Ambassador that it will intervene if U.S. crosses 38th parallel.  Chinese "volunteers" begin soon to enter N.Korea.

Oct. 7, 1950: U.N. forces (i.e., US 8th Army) cross 38th Parallel.  U.N. General Assembly passes Resolution which calls for "all appropriate steps to ensure ...stability throughout Korea."

Oct. 26, 1950: South Korean troops reach Yalu River.

Nov. 7, 1950: Democrats suffer substantial losses in US Congressional elections

Nov. 10, 1950: U.N. Security Council Resolution calls for "unified, independent, democratic government throughout Korea."

Nov. 21, 1950: U.S forces reach Yalu River.

Nov. 25, 1950: 300,000 Chinese "volunteers" overrun US and UN forces.  US retreats 275 miles.

Dec. 1, 1950: MacArthur tells US News limits on war are "an enormous handicap."

Dec. 5, 1950: JCS orders MacArthur to "receive clearance" from DoD before making public statements.

Dec. 30, 1950: MacArthur proposes widening war into China; JCS reject this idea (Jan. 9, 1951).

March 8, 1951: US Rep. Joseph Martin, House Minority Leader, calls for Gen. Chiang (non Communist Chinese leader on island of Taiwan) to invade southern China.

March 14, 1951: US 8th Army under Gen. M. Ridgway retakes Seoul.

April 5, 1951: Rep. Martin reads MacArthur speech to House.  It supports Martin's call for a second front, arguing "there is no substitute for victory."

April 11, 1951: President Truman fires MacArthur.  "I could no longer tolerate his insubordination."

April 1951: Republicans in Congress vilify Truman, referring to him as a "fish," a "pig," and a "traitor" in the Congressional Record.  Sen. William Jenner states we were " in the hands of a secret inner coterie which is directed by agents of the Soviet Union."

1952: Truman chooses not to Run for Re-Election as U.S. President

July 27, 1953: At Panmunjom, Korea, an armistice was signed ending the conflict.  Subsequently, no peace agreement ever has been signed fully ending the conflict.