US Intervention in Korea (AQA GCSE History): Revision Note

The US and Korea -Summary

There was great fear in America that communism was spreading around the globe like a virus. Many people believed that if the US did not take drastic action, it would soon become isolated and outnumbered, threatening the American way of life. 

As a result, the communist invasion of South Korea became enormously important to America. It used its allies and influence at the United Nations to assemble a military force to try and repel the invading North Koreans.

Why was Korea important to the US?

• The US President at the time of the invasion of South Korea was Harry S. Truman

  • In 1947, he had declared that the USA would fight to protect any country under threat of a communist takeover

  • This became known as the “Truman Doctrine”

• Like many Americans, Truman believed in the Domino Theory

  • This was the idea that if communists took over one country, it would soon spread to the neighbouring state

  • Once it became established there, it would spread to the next state, and countries would fall to communism like a row of dominoes

  • The USA was particularly concerned about the spread of communism in Asia since the Chinese Revolution

• Truman saw the USSR and China as threats and was determined to contain the spread of communism in Asia

  • Presidential elections were due in November 1950, and Truman saw the North Korean invasion as a test of his containment policy

  • He could not afford to look weak in his struggle with the USSR and China

 US and UN response

• The United Nations was created at the end of World War II to enable countries to act collectively to solve problems and avoid more global conflicts

  • The US vetoed Communist China from joining the powerful UN Security Council

  • In protest, the USSR decided to boycott the United Nations and take no part in its meetings

• With no USSR to veto their decisions, the remaining members of the UN Security Council passed a resolution that declared North Korea an illegal aggressor and ordered them to leave South Korea

  • North Korea ignored the resolution, so the UN began to assemble an invasion force to take military action

• Although it was a UN force, 50% of the troops, 93% of the aircraft and 86% of the ships were provided by the US

  • The famous American World War II General, Douglas MacArthur, was put in charge of the forces and given the title “Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Command”

  • The rest of the soldiers and equipment came from 44 other countries, including Britain, France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Greece, Thailand, Ethiopia and Colombia