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Korea divided between North and South
Following Japanese surrender, Soviets maintained military presence in the North with American troops in the South. The slowly -
President Truman's National Security Act creates US Department of Defense
Truman created this Department of Defense was to supervise the army, marines, air force and navy in the United States and to dispute the conflicts between the different divisions. It was also made to control wasteful military spending. -
North Korea invades South Korea
Whether North Koreans acted with Stalin's approval is still debated. This attack on the south made the U.S. bring in more troops and caused them to fight back. Even though the soviets had a much bigger army. -
Truman orders air and naval support for South Korea and call UN for back up
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 in south Korea. With the UN involved the U.S. got a lot of help from different countries. -
U.S. troops invade at Inchon
In surprise landing behind enemy lines, US forces push North Korean army back north of the 38th parallel. The 38th parallel is a longitude line that was picked by the U.S. to divide the northern and southern Korea. this was all performed under UN commander Mac Aurther. -
Pyongyang falls to UN forces
North Korean capital is now in UN control. Which is a good thing because the UN is sided with the U.S. the U.S. now has the upper hand in the war -
Chinese divisions enter fighting
With increased opposition, UN offensive stalls and then collapses. Chinese troops push UN forces back across 38th parallel and capture Southern capital of Seoul. Now that the Chinese enterd the war and the U.S. need renforcements. -
Truman relieves MacArthur of command
Following several warnings about insubordination, Truman angers public (69% support MacArthur) by firing the US commander. So Mac Authur left the U.S. -
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Korea becomes campaign issue in 1952 presidential election
Eisenhower pledges to go to Korea to end the war. VP candidate Nixon contends Democrats had caved in to communists in Korea and that Democrat presidential candidate Stevenson should be called "Adlai the Appeaser". Eisenhower later won the election and kept his promise of going to Korea to end the war. -
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 plus thousands who die as prisoners of war
