May 9 (Monday)- Mr. Bruns went over his presentation over the Korean War.
May 10 (Tuesday)- Work Day for the Decades Project. Notes below.
May 11 (Wednesday)- Mr. Bruns talked about how the song project is now extra credit and the 1950's presented.
May 12 (Thursday)- Work day for the Decades project.
May 13 (Friday)- 1950's continued to present.
The Korean Conflict: The Forgotten War
Origins
- Korea was invaded and ruled by Japan from 1910 until 1945
- After WWII, Korea was split into two-North (USSR) and South (US) at the 38th parallel
- An election was going be held to eventually unify Korea
- The United Nations held an election in 1948
- The Soviet Union refused to allow participation in the election in their occupied zone
- Instead, they handed over power to the North Korean Communist Party under Kim IL-Sun
The South elected the nationalist exile Syngman Rhee
Kim II- Sung
- Syngman Rhee
- US government stated in January 1950 that Korea was "outside of our defense perimeter"
- This encouraged North Korea to be aggressive
- South Korean President Syngman Rhee and North Korean leader Kim II-Sung both wanted to reunite Korea under their own systems
- Because of the US withdrawal, the North Koreans were the ones able to go on the offensive
- The People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union were wary of a war in Korea
- Mao and Stalin were concerned that it would encourage American intervention in Asia after just leaving
- Kim was able to manipulate both Mao and Staliin into supporting their invasion of South Korea
The War Begins
- On June 25, 1950, North Korean forces invaded the South
- Using Soviet equipment, their surprise attack was very successful
- Within days South Korean forces retreated
- Seoul was captured by the North Koreans in early July
- Eventually the South Korean forces and the small number of Americans in Korea, were driven into a small area in the SOuth (Pusan Perimeter)
- With the help of US supplies and air support, the South Korean forces managed to stabilize this area
- Although more UN support arrived it looked as though the North could gain control of the entire peninsula
- The invasion of South Korea came as a complete surprise to the United States
- On hearing of the invasion Truman agreed to use U.S airstrikes against the North Korean forces
- General Douglasss MacArthur was put in charge of American forces in the Pacific
United Nations Police Action
- United Nations Security Council voted to send troops to help South Korea
- US, Great Britain, France, China, and the Soviet Union were permanent members that could veto the "police action"
UN Attacks
- In order to help troops in Pusan Perimeter, MacArthur ordered an amphibious landing far behind the North Korean troops further North
- United Nations troops landed at Inchon and faced mild resistance and quickly recaptured Seoul
- The North Koreans, finding their supply lines cut, began a rapid retreat northwards from the Pusan Perimeter
- UN and SK forces drive northward from the Pusan Perimeter to unite with the Inchon troops
- The United Nations troops drove the North Koreans back past the 38th parallel
- Due to the victory at Inchon, the goal of saving South Korea had been achieved
- The US/UN decided to continue into North Korea to try and united the country
- This greatly concerned the Chinese, who worried that the UN forces might not stop with North Korea and might continue into China
- Many in the west, including General MacArthur, thought that spreading the war to China was a good idea
- Truman and the other leaders disagreed
- MacArthur was ordered to be very cautious when approaching the Chinese border
- Eventually, MacArthur disregarded these concerns
China Retaliates
- The Communist Chinese said they would react if the UN forces enroached upon the border at the Yalu River
- Mao wanted Soviet help and saw intervention as defensie: "If we allow the U.S to occupy all of Korea... we must be prepared for the US to declare... war with China", he told Stalin
- Mao's forces invaded North Korea on October 19th
- Soviet assistance was limited to providing air support for the Chinese
- The Soviet role was known to the US but they kept quiet to avoid any international and potential nuclear incidents
- 380,000 Chinese troops pushed the United Nation troops back to the 38th paralllel, the preconfliict border
- The Chinese assault caught US troops by surprise, as war between China and the United States had not been declared
- On January 4, 1951 Communist Chinese and North Korean forces re-captured Seoul
- Due to the tough situation, MacArthur mentioned that atomic weapons might be used, much to the alarm of America's allies
- In March, 1951, UN Forces succeeded in repelling the North Korean and Chinese troops from Seoul
MacArthur Removed
- MacArthur was removed from command by President Truman on April 11, 1951
- MacArthur was succeeded by General Matthew Ridgeway
- He was able to slowly drive back the enemy to the 38th parallel
- The rest of the war involved little territory change and lengthy peace negotiations
- Even during the peace negotiations combat continued
- For the South Korean and allied forces the goal was to recaptuure all of what had been South Korea
- Eventually a cease-fire was established on Jully 27th, 1953 near the 38th parallel
- a demilitarized zone was established around it, which is still defended today by North Korean troops on one side and South Korean and American troops on the other
- Newly-elected U.S President Dwight Eisenhower fulfilled a campaign promise by going to Korea to find out what could be done to end the conflict
- No peace treaty has been signed to date
Results/Outcomes/Casualties
- The Korean War was the first armed confrontation of the Cold War and it set a model for many later conflicts
- It created the idea of a limited war, where the two superpowers would/could fight without using nuclear weapons
- It also expanded the Cold War, which to that point had mostly been concerned with Europe
- The total number of deaths, including all civilians and military soldiers from UN Nations and China, was about 2,000,000
- US had 54,000 deaths
- More than 80% of the industrial and public facilities and transportation networks, three-quarters of the government offices and one-half of the houses were destroyed
- Pyongyang (the capital of North Korea) was bombarded with more than one thousand bombs per square kilometer
- When the armistice was settled, there were only two buildings left in the city where 400,000 people had lived
- The was left the peninsula permanently divided with a pro-Soviet, Communist party led state in North Korea and a pro-American capitalist one in the South
- American troops (28,500) remain on the border today as do a large number of Koreans. It is the most heavily defended border in the world
North Korean Leaders
- Kim II Sung
- Ruled 1948-1994
- Kim Jong iL
- Ruled 1994-2011
- Kim Jong-un
- Took office in 2011 after dad died
- Nuclear aggressiveness
North Korea Nuclear Timeline
- In 1993 (and reiterated in 2003) North Korea announced its withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
- In 1994, US and NK sign deal where US would help build two nuclear power reactors in NK
- In 2002, President Bush charges that NK, Iraq and Iran are an "Axis of Evil"
- In 2002, NK admits to having a nuclear weapons program and nullifies 1994 deal
- In 2003, the Six Party Talks start
- In 2005, NK agrees to halt nuclear weapon program in exchange for security and economic and trade benefits
- Shortly thereafter, NK backs out of the deal
- In 2006, North Korea announced it had successfully conducted it's first nuclear test (underground)
- Later in 2006, North Korea agrees to resume talks with the Six Party Talks
- In 2007, a new deal is reaches in which North Korea would halt production of nuclear weapons in exchange for $400 million of fuel and aid
- In 2008, north Korea destroys it's biggest nuclear weapons plant
- In 2008, North Korea complains that President Bush still had not removed North Korea from a list of "states that support terrorism" BUsh does so the next month
- In April, 2009, North Korea launches a rocket which North Korea says is for testing space satellite technology. Most countries don't buy explanation
- In May, 2009 North Korea conducted it's second nuclear test (underground)
- In February, 2013 Korea conducted it's third nuclear test underground
- In March, 2013 the United Nation put tougher sanctions on NK
- In February, 2014, The United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human RIghts publishes a report on widespread human rights abuses in North Korean
- December 19, 2014 FBI says it has concluded the North Korean government is responsible for a cyber attack on Sony Pictures
- April 23, 2015 China says that North Korea is expanding nuclear weapons arsenal
Music of the 1950's:
- Songs: Charlie Good, Great Balls of Fire
- Artists: Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly
- Groups: Bill Haley and His Comets
Movie of the 1950's:
- Movies: Seven Samurai, Sunset Boulevard, High Noon
- Directors: Alfred Hitchcock and William Wyler
TV Shows of the 1950's:
- I Loved Lucy, Gun Smoke, Leave It to Beaver
Video Games of the 1950's:
- Bertie the Brain
- Nimrod
- Tennis for Two
Football of the 1950's:
- Jim Brown
- Bobby Layne
- Etc.
Baseball in the 1950's
- New York Yankee's
- New York Giants
- Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers
Basketball in the 1950's
- Lakers
- Celtics
- On the rise wasn't as popular back then
Boxing
- Rocky Marciano
- Floyd Patterson
- One of the most popular sports of the 1950's
Women's Sports
- Still on the rise
- Track and field
- Swimming
- Golf
- Tennis
- Bowling
- Little bit of little league baseball
FAD's in the 1950's
- Ant Farm
- Car Hops
- Coonskin Caps
- Frisbee e
American Inventions of the 1950's
- Credit Card
- Breeder Reactor
- Transistor Radio
- Robot
- Solar Cell
- Video Tape
- Video Recorder
- COmputer Modem
- Microchip
- Hydrogen Bomb
President Elections of 1950's
1952
- Republican- Dwight Eisenhower
- Democratic- Adlai Stevenson
- Eisenhower demolished him 442 electoral votes vs 89 electoral votes
- Economy was very good so economic and social issues were not important
- Foreign Policy was a big deal
- People were scared of communism
1956
- Republican- Dwight Eisenhower
- Democratic- Adlai Stevenson
- Eisenhower demolished him even more 457 electoral votes vs 73 electoral votes
- Both Civil Rights
- The country was prosperous and at peace few doubled Eisenhower's reelection
Fashion
- Woman
- The 1950's was the consumers decade
- Dressing to impress
- Thin waist and defined hips
- Mainly wore dresses
- Gloves were also popular
- Men
- Hats
- Fedora
- Porkpie
- Straw
- Walking hats
- Pink
- Suits
- Hats
Civil Rights of the 1950's
- Brown vs. Board of Education
- Supreme Court Case in 1954 that declared the segregation of public schools to be unconstitutional and violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment
- Little Rock Nine
- 9 African Americans enrolled in Little Rock Central High School and were denied entry by the governor of Arkansas. Requested the Arkansas National Guard to promote segregation and prevent the students from entering the high school. Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army to escort and protect the 9 students throughout school
- Hydrogen Boom
- First Organ Transplant
- Postwar Baby Boom
- Korean War
- May 4, 1950
- Rock and Roll starts to rise
- Warsaw Pact signed
- 1955
- Vietnam War
- 1955-1975
- Stop the spread of communism
- Soviets Launch Sputnik
- Space race starts
- America Launches Explorer 1
- Alaska became an official state January 3, 1959
- Hawaii became an official state in 1959
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