Political Science 128: U.S. Foreign Policy
Mary Baldwin College, Staunton VA 24401
by Prof. Gordon L. Bowen, Ph.D.
email gbowen@mbc.edu
The U.N. Security Council authorized force to be used
in Korea. The top U.N. commander was an American general. Sixteen
nations joined the U.S. in opposing Communist aggression in Korea, 1950-53,
but
- of ground combat troops: 50% were American
- of naval forces: 86% were American
- of air forces: 93% were American
U.S. casualties were substantial: 142,000 American casualties, including 33,629 combat deaths, and 20,617 other US deaths.
sources:
W. LaFeber, America, Russia and the Cold War, 1945-1966 (NY: Wiley, 1966): 101;
D. McCullough, Truman (NY: Simon and Schuster, 1992): 935.