war

            After WWII, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into the North, under Soviet influence, and the south, under UN influence. North Korea wasn't happy with the divide, and set out to force unification with the south, under communism. On June 25, 1950, North Korea opened fire and began to invade the ill-equipped Southern nation. General Douglas MacArthur, leader of the American Occupation forces in Japan, was the supreme commander of the allied forces at the time. .
             At a meeting of the UN Security Council, a unanimous decision to render assistance to South Korean was made, and to help repel communist spread. President Harry Truman feared that the South Korea invasion was just a distraction, and that the communist master plan was to spread Soviet influence by invading Western Europe. To aid South Korean armies, they appointed Task Force Smith- 540 men to stop North Korean advance. Unfortunately, this aid proved unsuccessful, as the men were untrained and lacked anti-tank weapons. Of those 540 men, there were 155 casualties and many more injured. .
             To the UN, it was important to maintain influence over south Korea, as it is a very strategic location, sitting between Japan, the soviet union, and communist giant china. .
             General MacArthur is appointed to oversee the protection of South Korea. Though he was a hero in Japan, President Truman feared his pompous, self-assured nature, and thought of him as a loose cannon. In this situation, his fear proved justified. MacArthur, arrogant and ignorant to the industrial changes in North Korea far underestimated the power of their armies. Also, the US military was no longer what it had been. Budgets had been slashed and many of the soldiers had spent the last few year serving as policemen in Japan, and were untrained and out of shape for a real shooting war. .
             Slowly, American soldiers along with South Korean soldiers were forced backwards, further and further into South Korea.