South Koreans had little weapons and military because the Korean War took place soon after World War 2. Homes were destroyed and children were separated from their parents and left on the streets. Temperatures got as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. The South Koreans didn't have the correct clothing to withstand the cold temperatures. North Korean troops were better trained and better equipped. North Korean troops almost pushed the UN troops out of South Korea in the first six weeks of fighting. But without the UN forces, North Korea would have advanced and taken over South Korea. The United States provided the majority of the UN military forces which drove the North Koreans out of South Korea and still stand guard along the border today. Without the help of the United States, a World War 3 would have occurred, and South Korea would have become a communist country. .
The Korean War also illustrated that the United States would stand up to communism. The United States was against the foreign policy of containment. The Korean War was the first military stand against communism. This war proved that the United States would do anything to prevent the spread of communism. The Korean War was a necessary show of strength for the United States. Many countries were involved in the Korean War. The North Korean side was backed, the People's Republic of China, and the Soviet Union. All three of these countries were communist. However, the Republic of Korea, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States supported South Korea. Without the help of other countries, North Korea would have easily taken over South Korea. .
Another positive effect of sending troops to fight in the Korean War is that the United States helped negotiate a cease-fire.
