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Period: to
Korea
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Japan protectorate
declares a protectorate over Korea. -
Japan Annexes Korea
Japan formally annexes Korea as a colony. Japanese investments begin to flow into the new colony, turning it into a source of industrial and agricultural wealth for Japan. -
Potsdam Conference
US and USSR agree to split Korea into north and south. 38th parallel served as the dividing line between the two parts. -
Russians Arrive in Korea
Russians troops arrive, there are no Americans who have arrived yet. -
V-J Day
Japan ends WW2 by surrendering to allies -
U.S. in Seoul
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Japan becomes occupied by new empires
Soviet forces complete their occupation of northern Korea stopping at the 38th parallel, waiting for America to complete their occupation of the south. -
Iron Curtain Speech
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill gives his famous "Iron Curtain" speech at a college graduation in Fulton, Missouri. This created the phrase we use today. -
Truman Doctrine
President Harry S. Truman pledges American assistance to any nation in the world threatened by Communism, such as countries like Korea -
US to Leave Korea
American forces begin to prepare to withdraw from Korea, hoping to leave the South as an independent state under the leadership of the pro-American conservative Dr. Syngman Rhee. -
Syngman Rhee Elected
Dr. Syngman Rhee wins becoming South Korea's first president. -
Soviets & Americans withdraw military
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North Korea invades South Korea
Whether North Koreans acted with Stalin's approval is still debated -
Truman orders air and naval support for South Korea & calls for UN intervention
With the Soviet Union absent from the Security Council, the U.S. was able to win agreement from UN to support South Korea. MacArthur appointed to command UN operations -
U.S. troops invade at Inchon
In surprise landing behind enemy lines, US forces push North Korean army back north of the 38th parallel -
Pyongyang falls to UN forces
North Korean capital Pyongan is now under UN control -
Chinese divisions enter fighting
With increasing opposition, UN offensive stalls and then falls apart Chinese troops force UN forces back across 38th parallel and then overtake Southern capital of Seoul -
Truman makes decisions on MacArthur
President Truman calls a meeting with cabinet members to discuss MacArthur and his ignorant public comments -
Truman fires MacArthur
Truman goes against the publics will and fires MacArthur despite his immense group supporters -
MacArthur addresses for the first time Congress after leaving U.S. in 1935 and finally returning
MacArthur declares "Old soldiers never die, they merely fade away". His supporters (69% of the population) are still angry he was fired. -
Negotiations begin at Panmunjon
Talks drawn out until 1953 and war is settled with tthe agreement to have demilitarized zones on each side of the 38th parallel -
Korea becomes a problem in the 1952 presidential election
Eisenhower pledges to go to Korea to end the war.
Nixon says Democrats had weakened and given in to communists in Korea. -
Eisenhower Elected
Eisenhower elected, and his campaign is largely built around his ww2 hero story, his compassion for the troops and their families, and his willingness to honourably pull America out of Korea, and prevent further mortality. -
Armistice formally re-established the division of Korea
Formal peace treaty never signed.
Over 1,000,000 Koreans and 54,000 Americans killed in conflict
thousands more die in effect of war:food, disease, war camps
