In 1950, United Nations troops led by U.S. General Douglas MacArthur crossed north of the 38th parallel on the island of Korea, supported by American, South Korean and British military forces. The decision to enter North Korea was made in spite of the fact that the UN Security Council had determined that neither side in the Korean conflict was allowed to cross that line. The United States claimed that the North Korean forces had already crossed the 38th parallel during their raids.
Troops fighting for the Republic of Korean (basically, modern day South Korea) immediately began a massacre of anyone they suspected of supporting North Korea's efforts to become a separate and independent country. (In truth, North Korean troops were heavily reliant on China and Russia for support.)
The U.S. government and its Western European allies believed that their actions would stop the spread of communism. However, both China and North Korea had experienced many invasions from European and Japanese forces. The UN's decision to allow U.S. forces to intervene in Korean affairs and to oppose a nationalist movement in the north was regarded by many nations as a continuation of Roosevelt's Big Stick policies, except this time carried out with the support of the supposedly neutral United Nations.
How did President Truman react to this conflict in a far away land? In his Korea Statement, he alerted the US public about the situation and his intentions for involving the United States. Read the statement below and answer the questions beside it. Then, at the end of the activity, copy your answers and paste them into a word processing file to use for the second part of this assignment.
According to Truman, why were the Republic of Korea/South Korean troops stationed at the border region near the 38th parallel?
Was Truman sending U.S. troops "unilaterally," or did he intend to be part of a larger UN force that, in the end, only included troops from U.S. and Britain? Explain the reasons behind your answer.
Find out what "Formosa" refers to in Truman's speech. What important background about the relations between China and the U.S. does this information reveal?
Do you think that the U.S. occupation of the Philippines following the end of the Spanish-American War led to UN forces being sent to Korea?
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 27, 1950
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
In Korea the Government forces, which were armed to prevent border raids and to preserve internal security, were attacked by invading forces from North Korea. The Security Council of the United Nations called upon the invading troops to cease hostilities and to withdraw to the 38th parallel. This they have not done, but on the contrary have pressed the attack. The Security Council called upon all members of the United Nations to render every assistance to the United Nations in the execution of this resolution. In these circumstances I have ordered United States air and sea forces to give the Korean Government troops cover and support.
The attack upon Korea makes it plain beyond all doubt that communism has passed beyond the use of subversion to conquer independent nations and will now use armed invasion and war. It has defied the orders of the Security Council of the United Nations issued to preserve international peace and security. In these circumstances the occupation of Formosa by Communist forces would be a direct threat to the security of the Pacific area and to United States forces performing their lawful and necessary functions in that area.
Accordingly I have ordered the 7th Fleet to prevent any attack on Formosa. As a corollary of this action I am calling upon the Chinese Government on Formosa to cease all air and sea operations against the mainland. The 7th Fleet will see that this is done. The determination of the future status of Formosa must await the restoration of security in the Pacific, a peace settlement with Japan, or consideration by the United Nations.
I have also directed that United States Forces in the Philippines be strengthened and that military assistance to the Philippine Government be accelerated.
I have similarly directed acceleration in the furnishing of military assistance to the forces of France and the Associated States in Indochina and the dispatch of a military mission to provide dose working relations with those forces.
I know that all members of the United Nations will consider carefully the consequences of this latest aggression in Korea in defiance of the Charter of the United Nations. A return to the rule of force in international affairs would have far-reaching effects. The United States will continue to uphold the rule of law.
I have instructed Ambassador Austin, as the representative of the United States to the Security Council, to report these steps to the Council.
When you have saved your answers to the activity questions above, do some research online to learn about the United Nations' involvement in the Korean War. As you look for information, try to formulate answers to each of these questions.
| How did United Nations involvement in Korea affect relations among its members? |
| Do you think it was justifiable to use national troops along with United troops in conflict zones? |
| Are there any similarities between the UN's response to the Korean crisis and the League of Nations? |
| How did the military policies of the League of Nations and the United Nations differ and were these differences in any way responsible for the long-term conflict in Korea? |
| How does the current stand-off between the United States and North Korea relate to the UN intervention in 1950? |
When you have completed your research and feel you can answer the questions listed above, write several paragraphs that explain your opinion about the role of the UN in relation to the Korean War--was it wise or unwise? Did it provide enough benefit for the additional difficulties it produces? Be sure to include specific reasons for your position.
Submit just your essay when you're finished. Your work on this project will be graded using the following rubric.
| Points | Criteria | |
|---|---|---|
| Analysis 6 Points |
3 | Your essay reflects a careful analysis of the United Nations’ involvement in the Korean War. |
| 3 | Your essay reflects a solid understanding of Truman’s position—his stated reasons for sending troops into North Korea. | |
| Research 6 Points |
3 | Your essay suggests an adequate amount of research about the Korean War—its causes and the political issues involved. |
| 3 | Your essay provides ample support of your claim about the wisdom of the United Nations’ response to the Korean conflict, in the form of reasons and evidence. |
