The Roots of the Cold War and the Korean War 1945 – 1953

· By 1949 the US was the most powerful nation in the world. It had the largest air force and navy and the strongest economy

· All other countries, especially Russia were trying to catch up. A nasty form of competition between the US and Russia started after WW II

· It developed into a rivalry between capitalism and communism; which system was better and more productive. Insults, sarcasm and accusations started between the US and the USSR

· President Truman accused Joseph Stalin of using the Russian army to impose communism on Central European countries they liberated from Nazis like Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, East Germany and Romania

· President Truman tried to prevent the spread of Communism in to Eastern Europe by offering the same counties American money to rebuild after the war. Joseph Stalin would not allow this. This policy was called containment.

· The policy to contain the spread of communism was tried out in Europe and in Asia

· The country of Korea became a testing ground for US containment

· Japan had conquered Korea during WW II, but was forced to leave by the allies after the war. Russia would occupy the North section and America the south

· Both Korean governments of the North and South claimed the right to rule their own country. In June 1950, the North Korean Communist Army crossed the 38^th parallel into South Korea and a three year war began

· The Korean War became a United Nations conflict with American forces helping to protect democratic South Korea against communists from North Korea, helped by the Russians

· The American forces were led by Douglas MacArthur , even China helped out North Korea during the conflicy

· The war dragged on for three years with no clear winner

· Joseph Stalin died in 1953 and Russia ended its commitment in Korea. A settlement to divide Korea into North and South sections along the 38^th parallel is still in effect today

· The border is patrolled everyday by American and North Korean forces

· Over 33,000 US soldiers were killed in the Korean War as wellas a further 100,000 wounded. The US had checked the spread of communism.