Korean War Lessons

Prompt:

It is 1952. A new president, Eisenhower, has been elected in the US. Your task is to write a report for him on what lessons the United States can learn from the war. Your report should advise the President on:

the US aims in Korea
how the support of the UN helped
how far the US achieved its aims
whether MacArthur should have been allowed to invade North Korea
why MacArthur was removed
the military and civilian cost of war


For each point you will need to use the sources and text on pages 338-41 to compile your answer.

Finally, make up your own mind as to whether, on balance, the policy of containment succeeded and then write up your ideas as a balanced report.

Aims:
The US intended at first to occupy Korea to prevent the soviets from advancing. After the communists invaded south Korea, however, the US wanted push them back. The Inchon landing worked so well, they decided they wanted to free all of Korea.

UN:
The UN was important because the US wanted the world on their side and opposing communism.

If the US reached their aims:
They did not protect Korea from invasion, and the US did not successfully free North Korea, but they did maintain the border at the 38th parallel.

Invasion of North Korea:
MacArthur should not have been allowed to invade NOrth Korea because a lot of people died in the invasion and when it was repelled. MacArthur underestimated China's power, and a general should not make mistakes like that.

Why MacARthur was removed:
MacArhur was removed because he was critizing Truman's administration. Also, MacArthur disobeyed Truman and continued fighting even when he was ordered to stop.

MIlirary and Civilan Cost of the War:
Over 100,000 soldiers died, and over 13,000 civilians died in the war.

Dropping the atomic bomb

1. What factors have affected viewpoints on Truman's decision?
Whether the bombs were dropped just to see if it would work. The ethicalness of not telling the Japanese that the US had a nuclear weapon.

2. Do you think he made the right decision? Give your reasons.
I think that the Japanese should have been warned about the bomb. If they did not believe us, we could have dropped it in some remote part of Japan. If that did not work, we could have dropped it right over the emperor's head quarters. When we bombed Tokyo we encountered little resistance, so we might not encounter much resistance if we bombed the emperor.

War in the PAcific

1. What was the importance of the Battle of Midway?

It destroyed a lot of the Japanese navy. after that the tides turned and the Americans began island hopping.
2. What strategy did the United States adopt in fighting Japan?
Island Hopping

3. Why did the Japanese fight so hard on Iwo Jima?
Because if the Americans captured it, they could set up a airplaine base to bomb Japan.

4. Why did the Allies believe Okinawa was a foretaste of an invasion of Japan?

Because 7,600 Americans died. The Japanese refused to surrender. Two generals committed suicide rather than surrendering. So if they defended Okinawa that fiercely, it would be even worse on the mainland of Japan.

5. What was the Manhattan Project?
It was a project to create an atomic bomb.

6. Ultimately, why did President Truman decide to drop atomic bombs on Japan?
To avoid an invasion of Japan.

War for Europe and North Africa--II

6. What was D-Day?

It was the day when American and British forces attacked Northern France, and from there, invaded Germany.

7. What happened at the Battle of the Bulge?

It was Hitler's last ditch offensive to stop the allied advance.
8. What did Allied troops find in Germany?

Death camps
9. What happened to Hitler? What happened to F.D. Roosevelt? Who became U.S. President?
Hitler committed suicide. FDR had a stroke and died and Truaman became the president.

War for Europe and North Africa

1. To what did Roosevelt and Churchill agree early in the war?

Hitler and Mussolini were a greater threat than Japan.

2. Why was winning the Battle of the Atlantic so crucial to the fortunes of the Allies?
Because it allowed supplies to get to Britain and the USSR
3. Why was the Battle of Stalingrad so important?
It stopped the German avance and started the Russian advance.
4. What happened in the war in North Africa?

5. What happened after the Allies invaded Italy?

Japan and US relations in 1941

Japan and U.S. Relations in 1941

Document A
-Japan has an aggressive attitude towards the US
-They want to strike America's raw materials by controling the "south"
-they want to encircle asia and then conquer America
-they believe if Enlgand falls, America will "reconsider her position"

Document B
-Shows Japan protesting encirclement whil encircling the Allies
-Japan is hypocritical

Document C
-Japanese don't like American's proposal
-The Japanese gov. wanted to buy time
-Japanese are picky

Document D
-The Japanese are preparing for war
-They are doing because the emperor wanted to continue hostilities
-they want to accomplish their war aims

Document E
-December 7, 1941 Japan attacks Oahu
-Low point in US-Japanese relations
-Japanese have been deliberately decieving US to buy time

US heads towards war

1. What did the 1939 Neutrality Act allow?
Allowed warring nations to buy US goods as long as they payed in cash, and got them themselves.
2. Who were the Axis powers?
Japan, Italy, and Germany
3. What did the Lend-Lease Act do?
It lent money, and supplies to any nation whose defense was vital to the US
4. What pledges were contained in the Atlantic Charter?
collective security, disarmament, self-determination, economic cooperation, and freedom of the seas
5. Who were the Allies?
USSR, US, UK, as well 23 other countries
6. What did the attack at Pearl Harbor do to the U.s. Pacific fleet?
It nearly destroyed it, except for 3 aircraft carriers.
7. Why did Germany and Italy declare war on the U.S.?
Because of the Tripartite pact