The Korean WarChapter 25, Section 3

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As American soldiers fought in the Korean War, other Americans hunted for Communists in America.

How did the United States respond to the invasion of Korea and its aftermath?

In 1950, the Cold War suddenly turned hot in the East Asian nation of Korea.

2

Before World War II, Japan had occupied Korea. After the war, Korea was divided.

On June 25, 1950, North Korean troops invaded South Korea.

Communist, backed by the Soviet Union

Non-Communist, backed by the United States

3

President Truman responded quickly to the attack on South Korea.

He urged the UN Security Council to send a military force to Korea.

He appointed World War II hero General Douglas MacArthur to lead the force.

Sixteen nations agreed to send troops, but 90 percent of the force would be American.

4

The first UN forces to arrive were badly outnumbered and poorly supplied.

They were pushed back to the southern tip of South Korea.

As fresh troops and supplies arrived, they were able to hold their ground.

5

In September, General MacArthur launched a bold counterattack.

UN forces attacked at Inchon and pushed the North Koreans back across the border.

They pursued the North Koreans almost to the Yalu River on the border of China.

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China’s government was threatened as UN forces neared the Yalu River.

Masses of Chinese soldiers crossed the border and attacked.

UN troops were pushed back to South Korea.

7

The war in South Korea quickly settled into a stalemate. Neither side could win.

General MacArthur argued that the UN must attack China to win the war.

Truman disagreed. This conflict led him to fire MacArthur.

8

Peace talks began in July 1951 and lasted for two years. Meanwhile, the fighting continued.

A cease-fire finally ended the fighting in July 1953.

Both sides established a demilitarized zone, which still exists today.

9

The Korean War had an enormous impact on Korea, America, and other UN nations.

Tensions between North and South Korea continue today.

10

The failure to win a decisive victory in Korea added to Americans’ fears about Communism.

Will the United States ever defeat

communism?

Are Communist spies secretly working to overthrow the U.S. government?

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In 1947, the House Un-American Activities Committee led an investigation to find Communists.

The car is a symbol for the committee.

The committee “ran over” anyone in its way.

Cartoons like this one criticized the committee’s methods.

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Two spying cases seized public attention.

Alger Hiss, a former State Department official, was accused of passing secrets to Soviet agents.

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were accused of giving the secret of the atomic bomb to the Soviets.

They were found guilty and executed in 1953.

Hiss never served jail time for spying.

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The climate of fear also led to the rise of Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin.

In 1950, McCarthy accused many members of the U.S. State Department of being Communists.

Over the next four years, he held a series of Senate hearings.

Senator Joseph McCarthy

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In 1954, a series of events brought about McCarthy’s downfall and the end of the Communist scare.

McCarthy publicly made false accusations against the U.S. Army.

He lost most of his following.

The Senate voted to censure him.

The Communist scare was mostly finished.

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