President Truman's Decision To Be Involved In The Korean War

Great Essays
Why did President Truman decide for the U.S to be involved in the Korean War?

A. Plan of Investigation This investigation assesses President Truman’s justification for the U.S to be involved in the Korean War of 1950. In order to evaluate the justification for Truman’s decisions, the investigation is listed through the events that led up to the War in chronological order from the initial days before the War and into the War. This supports the purpose in why the war started and what led Truman to aid Korea during the war. Two of the sources used in this essay, The Korean War: Challenges in Crisis, Credibility, and Command, compiled by Burton I. Kaufmann and Rise to Globalism, written by Stephen Ambrose are then evaluated for their origins,
…show more content…
Kaufman is an in-depth report of the history of America 's diplomatic and military involvement in the Korean War that carries the themes of crisis, credibility, and command throughout. The author, Burton I. Kaufman is a Professor of History at Kansas State University and he wrote many other books including, Efficiency and Expansion: Foreign Trade Organizations in the Wilson Administration, The Oil Cartel Case and Trade and Aid: Eisenhower’s Foreign Economic Policy, 1953-1961. The Korean War was written with the purpose emphasize the foreign policy decisions that directed U.S. involvement in Korea and that significantly defined America’s role as a world military-political power. The book’s values lies in the fact that Kaufman presents a careful and thorough description of the events that take place before the war connecting it to the ongoing conflict taking place. It also provides a strong, useful information of the treatment of American politics. However the limitations can be found in the author’s weakest spot describing the conditions of Korea and the Soviet-American rivalry and in the battles that took …show more content…
Analysis President Truman’s determination for the U.S’s involvement in the Korean War can justify why the U.S was associated to the war and whether it’s reasonable to go help South Korea. The investigation analyzes the political pressures that Truman was under and the influences they had on his final decision to commit ground forces to Korea. This can be shown through the pros and cons of helping South Korea from communism and weaknesses in the U.S by their fear of the spread of communism in countries. Initially, bringing the invasion to the United Nations appeared the only reasonable course of action and was also a way of achieving a collective response to the invasion. Most people perceived the North Korean’s to move across the border to increase communist expansion. Ultimately, the “elimination of South Korea would influence both Soviet and Chinese moves in Indochina, Formosa, Malaysia, and Burma”(Kaufman, 21). Washington concerned over the fact that the U.S not taking any action would affect the American prestige in Europe as well as the Middle East. The main goals of the American leaders were to steer clear of appeasement, which promoted Adolf Hitler’s dream of “world dominance”. Domestic considerations furthermore contributed to the Truman administrations determinations over Korea. If communist overtook Korea, there would be a high chance of congressional investigation into the military resulting in a reduction in conventional

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    Following the liberation of Seoul, South Korea in 1950, Americans were ecstatic about General Macarthur’s long fought and outstanding victory. American and South Korean forces continued to push well beyond the 38th Parallel—the delineation between North and South Korea—towards the Yalu River, the border between North Korea and Chinese Manchuria. In spite of the increasing likelihood of Chinese intervention, American and UN intelligence specialists ignored the possibility. Little did they know, that not only was it feasible, it was imminent. The Marines at the Chosin Reservoir prevailed despite being vastly outnumbered and outmaneuvered while underestimating their capabilities to relinquish security to Chinese and Korean forces by seizing an offensive initiative.…

    • 1461 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Dbq

    • 1541 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Truman decided to intervene, labeling North Korea as an enemy, and requesting UN troops to fight against them. With MacArthur on the Southern side, he successfully drove the North Koreans past the 38th parallel, but was pushed back and humiliated. The general wanted to use atomic weapons, but Truman knew that the war should not be stretched too far. Truman became seen as…

    • 1541 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Apush Dbq Analysis

    • 1031 Words
    • 5 Pages

    After north Korea initiated its unwarned attack, US president vows to protect the south however with help from the UN, “The attack comes without warning and President Truman with the help of united nation, vows to defend democratic Korea. ”(Doc. C #1) Even though with combined forces north Korea still pushes south Korea to the edge however the US general dashingly pull a counterattack pushing the north back to Yule river. “The US and United nation forces are nearly pushed off the Korean peninsula, The American Commander is General Douglas MacArthur”(Doc.…

    • 1031 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    History has always prevailed itself by showing people fighting over territorial sanctions, ideas revolving around politics as well as the simplicity of faith itself. It’s these motions ad violence that affect us as humans. It greatly impacts the ideology of political and economical interest to society today, a pursuit that radicalizes a forth coming of how wars will leave a rationalized foot print in history to come. Through wars one is able to assert their dominance and through that one is able to force ideas and beliefs. To some, war represents a rational pursuit to gain economic interests, while for others it remains an irrational destruction of property and futures to others.…

    • 1253 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Cold War Dbq Analysis

    • 958 Words
    • 4 Pages

    During the Cold War, communism began to spread like wildfires across the Eastern and Western parts of Europe. Communism played a large role during the Korean War as well with United States forces trying to succeed and keep communism from becoming the overall factor in the leadership ways of government for the Korean people. In the end, the United States would not bring home a victory and Korea would still be divided into two peninsulas: North and South Korea (Document E). Within the “Korean War Armistice”, Korea was separated into two, North and South Korea, by a military demarcation that was led by leaders that supported communism. Once the United States came into the picture and supported South Korea and inched closer and closer to North…

    • 958 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The first premise here is that the conflicts in Korea,…

    • 774 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Cold War Dbq

    • 1819 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Logic Of Cold War: 4 6. U.S. – Vietnam Relations: 4 7. Normalization of U.S. – Vietnam Relations: 4 8. Conclusion: 5 9. References: 6 1.…

    • 1819 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Cold War Dbq

    • 946 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In just seven months after his inauguration, Eisenhower ended the Korean War, with an armistice, reaffirming the 38th parallel. His interests in taking action in the Korean War can be recognized in his campaign speech, “I shall go to Korea.” In his speech, Eisenhower expresses the need for free leadership to check Communist ambition. He also states that hesitation fuels a dictator’s appetite for conquest and invites war; ignoring the problem will only lead to failure. Eisenhower’s past experience as a World War II military general is invoked in this speech when he justifies that ignoring the situation would only tempt Communists to conquer more.…

    • 946 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Korean War Dbq

    • 1827 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Brown 1 The Korean War was just the start of increased tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. After WWII the international system quickly made a shift from multipolar system to a bipolar system, involving the two remaining super powers. The Primary goal for the U.S and U.S.S.R, or any state, was survival. The only way to achieve this goal was to increase their power.…

    • 1827 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay Question #2: Argue a case either for or against General Douglas MacArthur and his controversial opposition to President Harry S. Truman during the Korean War. Be sure to identify the important leadership issues as they relate to the individuals, security of the country, welfare of the military, and defense of the South Korean people. General Douglas MacArthur was a very smart stratician in the United States Army and very ambitious on getting what he wanted. As a person he was very arrogant and people on his staff knew what they working with. If he did not get what he wanted, he would try to destroy you before you realized it.…

    • 577 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Korean War Dbq

    • 904 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Dwight D. Eisenhower then gained presidency in 1952. The former general traveled to Korea to speak with commanders and their troops. He became determined to bring the war to an end, it was even one of his presidential campaign promises. Eisenhower hinted to the PRC that the United States might use a nuclear attack in Korea if needed-- he was bluffing. The reason for this bluff was so the PRC would rethink strategies to end the war oppose to participating a nuclear holocaust-- they did.…

    • 904 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Pueblo Incident Essay

    • 1225 Words
    • 5 Pages

    It was the first war that the United Nations was involved and where the United States made a plan to defeat communism since the end of World War II. After the Second Great War, South Korea become stronger through means of production and population increase along with support from the United States and the U.N. However, North Korea felt threatened during this time because the U.S. was a major superpower and had yet to receive help from the pact made at the Yalta Conference in 1945. North Korea had no choice but to join the nearest superpower that wasn’t dropping bombs on the country and try to show their loyalty after the Soviet Red Army liberated North Korea the same year as the Yalta Conference. Tensions between North Korea and any other United States ally rose when the U.S. passed the Trading with the Enemy Act and continued until 2008.…

    • 1225 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Over the years from 1945 to 1989, different presidents use doctrines to take a stand on issues such as the Truman Doctrine was to help countries from the threat of communism spreading. Other president’s doctrines were similar in that they were to stop the spread of communism by different ways and intensity. There were situations that they felt required U.S. diplomatic efforts during Truman time in office. During the time Truman was in the office, the doctrine was called Truman Doctrine and took actions that showed his standing on the issue of trying to prevent the spread of communism. The actions and events which took place from the Truman Doctrine had effects on the U.S. and other countries.…

    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Cold War Containment

    • 1119 Words
    • 5 Pages

    From the end of WWII in 1945 until 1991, the United States and the Soviet Union interacted in a major conflict called the Cold War. It was called the Cold War because there was no physical harm or the use of deadly weapons, therefore, the two sides never directly fought each other. Throughout this time, the United States followed a foreign policy called 'containment '. This policy was highly effective between the U.S. and West Berlin, Kore, and Cuba. The United States contained communism in these countries by aiding West Berlin, staging Korean counterattacks, and quarantining Cuban ships.…

    • 1119 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    During the Korean war from 1950-1953, America continually changed their strategy in hopes of achieving their goal of a “unified, independent, democratic Korea”(Kurial, lecture 2). Initially this goal seemed attainable by casual warfare, working with South Korean soldiers, America was able to drive the North Korean army to the Yalu river; however, this river bordered the communist republic of China which feared invasion of America from North Korea, at this point, Mao Zedong ordered a Chinese backing of the North Korean army. Rapidly the North Korean army pushed back the Americans and South Koreans. America changed their strategy to favour a containment policy at this point, they no longer wanted to unify Korea, they were willing to return the land to its original arrangement. Meanwhile in Vietnam, the French were attempting to recolonize Vietnam; however, due to the Second World War, they were depleted of resources and over half of their supplies came from the US, conversely to the Korean war, at this point America was willing to avoid conflict directly with the Vietnamese Viet Minh.…

    • 1074 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays