The Vietnam War: Is The Korean War Justified?

The Korean War was a defining part of the United States foreign policy in the Cold War Era and was a response to threats from the Soviet Union. The Korean War was a culmination of tensions between North and South Korea that had resulted from the influences the United States and the Soviet Union inculcated into the countries during their occupation. When the Korean War was initiated, by the invasion of South Korea by North Korea, the United States and their allies in the United Nations perceived the invasion as a bold communistic expansion effort that occurred without provocation. (Document A). Further validating this idea was the fact that the attack was endorsed by the USSR, and partially lead by Red China, both of which were communist countries

The Vietnam War was the longest war in the history of the United States it lasted from 1959-1975. Billions of dollars was spent trying to win and unwinnable war. Countless of lives were lost and America failed to achieve its objective. The origins of the war stem from the Indochina wars that occurred in the late 40s and early 50s. After many years of colonial war, the Viet Minh a communist group led by Ho Chi Minh sought independence for Vietnam. The French were not reluctant to let go of their crowning jewel without a fight. The French were aided militarily by the Unites States who sought the membership of France to the NATO and were willingly to provide as much aid to ensure that they won the war and Vietnam did not fall to communism. This led to an eight year war which culminated with the defeat of the French at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. A cease fire was issued and peace agreements known as the Geneva Accords where drawn during the 1954 Geneva Conference. The agreement issued a temporary division of Vietnam along the 17th parallel which created a Communist North Vietnam led by Ho Chi Minh and a democratic South Vietnam led by prime minister Ngo Dinh Diem. Vietnam was supposed to unify after the nationwide election of 1956 which Diem refuse to acknowledge.

According to a survey of published by CNN of 2,108 American in May 2014, about 41% of the population believe that the United States has no authority to intervene in other countries ' internal conflicts. On the other hand, the rest of Americans deem foreign policy issues, such as imperializing, military intervention, and evangelizing, to be necessary and imperative to America and the rest of the world (para. Miller, "How do Americans Feel About U.S. Involvement in Foreign Crises"). Even today, there are numerous debates regarding whether the U.S. has a duty to interfere in other nation 's businesses and enforce military intervention. The Vietnam War (1955-1975), one of the most widely debated examples of America 's military intervention in a foreign nation, is considered one of the bloodiest and longest wars fought in the United States ' history. Also called the Second Indochina War, the Vietnam War was primarily fought in South Vietnam territory between the South Vietnam government and communist North Vietnam or Vietcong. The war that lasted twenty years continues to spark major discussions concerning whether or not the United States had valid reasons for entering the war. The U.S. was justified in entering the Vietnam War because it was an attempt to prevent the spread of communism; the United States was following a moral

North Korea first invaded South Korea in June 25, 1950. Soviets where supporting South Korea, and the United States where supporting South Korea. This battle was a fair fight with South Korea winning but something happened. According to document C, “In November of 1950, communist China enters the war and pushes the United States forces back into South Korea.” China only entered the war because they were communist, and wanted to turn South Korea communist.

Korean War: In 1945, Japanese surrendered by the Soviet Union and Unites States and Second World War was ended. Also, Korea was liberated at August 15. Korea was divided into South and north, and US governed south and Soviet Union governed north. June 25, 1950, the North Korean invaded south and the war was outbreak. The war was intensified by intervention of The United States, China, and the Soviet Union. It became fight between the Democratic and the Communism. (876-878)

The Vietnam War started in 1954 with the defeat of the French and ended in 1975 with the fall and withdrawal of Saigon. The United States’ (U.S.’s) involvement in the Vietnam War started in 1963 with support of weapons, military training, advisement, and supplies until 1965 when U.S. troops went into battle with the North Vietnamese (Szczepanski, n.d.). American troops did not pull out of the war until 1973. Was the U.S.’s involvement in the Vietnam War worth the time, money, and effort they put into it? That answer depends on whom you ask. Some politicians, civilians, and military personnel deemed the U.S.’s involvement in the Vietnam War

Overshadowed by the previous, long and devastating Second World War, the Korean War became known by Canadian veterans as the "Forgotten War". After Japan's defeat in World War II, Korea was split into two parts, North Korea and South Korea. North Korea was occupied by the communist country of USSR while South Korea was held by the Americans and other democratic nations. War officially broke out on June 25, 1950, when the North Koreans assaulted across the country's division on the 38th Parallel with their men and artillery behind them. North Korea and its leaders wanted to unify the whole country from its division by taking over South Korea under their government. North Korea was allied with China and the Republic of Korea was

America's Involvement in the Korean War The USA emerged from WWII as the dominant Western, democratic superpower. She quickly established for herself a role as world policeman, and defender of the "free world". When, on June 25th 1950, Communist North Korean forces invaded the South of the country, the USAwas quick to step in, and with UN support and approval, sent in military forces to restore the balance. However, it is questionable whether moral principles were the only reason for America's involvement in the Korean War, or whether perhaps the Truman administration had other validation for such a huge scale military campaign.

The cost of the United States entering the Vietnam War drastically outweighed the potential victory over the spreading of Communism in Vietnam. Not only did over 58,000 soldiers lose their lives, but nearly 150,000 soldiers were also injured as a result. The remaining soldiers were left with physical and psychological scars, as well as returning home to financial ruin because of job loss and inability to work. Events during the war, such as the My Lai Massacre, made the American public question the motives of the government and eventually led to hundreds of anti-war groups and protests to arise.

While the occupant powers were struggling to set ground for securing their interests, the Korean nationalism was at the most heated phase. Suffered through the Japanese colonial rule since 1910, the leaders of the two governments were determined to reunify Korea under their political regimes, and from their point view the only way to reach their aims was war. However, the United States and the Soviet Union were cautious not to take a role in initiating the war since neither of them was eager to prompt another to intervene. Being aware of their dependence on the superpowers, both leaders first had to gain the support of these countries to reach their goals. Until the beginning of the war, Kim Il-Sung particularly struggled hard to convince his mentor Stalin to provide him support in the war against the south.

The Korean War was Kim’s idea of reunification through the use of military force. * Soviet Union did not even want to be involved in a war. It was Kim’s idea to get the go ahead with the war and launch the attack against the South. * Most of the soldiers involved were Korean and Chinese, and fought for their own cause of reunification or liberation. 260,000 North Korean, 926,000 Chinese and 590,911 South Korean soldiers involved. * Soviet and American soldiers were not as heavily involved in the fighting, and mostly did so for their political security rather as a desire to fight each other. 480,000 Americans and 26,000 Soviet soldiers involved.

The Korean War was an influential event that started in 1950 and caused a lot of controversy among Americans and Koreans. The war was caused by the US trying to preserve the Democratic side of Korea, the south side. The Koreans were not happy, however, and the Viet Kong and North Korean soldiers fought tooth and nail to get the Americans out of the country. There was eventually an end to the war of course but not without lots of casualties on both sides and a hostile environment around the border of the two countries.

Efforts to unify Korea resulted in more than 100,000 deaths due to guerilla warfare. In April 1950, North Korean leader Kim II Sung persuaded Joseph Stalin to back an invasion of South Korea, convincing Stalin that the United States would not intervene. Stalin agreed to provide arms, equipment, and advisors to the North Koreans (“Korean War”). Kim II Sung did not stop there as he also persuaded the newly communist Chinese to aid the North Koreans. The Korean War, (June 25,1950 – July 27, 1953), occurred when over 75,000 North Korean Army invaded the land across of the 38th parallel. American president Harry Truman was feeling heat after “letting China fall”, so Truman ordered American troops into action on South July, the United Sates entered the conflict on South Korea’s behalf. The next three years would be the darkest and most horrific in Korean history. As seen in American reporter Bill Shinn’s account, “the North Koreans were gruesome…during the occupation of South Korea, they killed over 165,000 civilians. Also, I witnessed a South Korean mass execution of civilians suspected of having helped the communists. Korea was a mess” (“The Forgotten War Remembered: Korea, 1950-1953). This shows the depths of the horror that was perpetrated in Korea for three years.

The United States and China were eagerly ready to be drawn into the Korean War. Why wouldn’t they be? After WWII, Japan was forced to relinquish Korea, among other territories that it claimed , and Korea was left to fend for herself. Korea was managing but the country could not come to an agreement on a major topic: The type of government the country should fall under as a unified nation. The northern half, lead by Kim II Sung, wanted to operate under the communist rule; but the southern half, lead by Syngman Rhee, wanted to operate under a democracy (non-communist and independent ruling). This was like a set of twin siblings arguing and fighting over which of the two of them should carry the basketball as they walk down the street to the basketball court. They are that they both want to play basketball together but they can’t agree on who should be in charge and carry the ball. Well, the older and more experienced neighbors, The United States and China, wanted to play too but since it was Korea’s court, they decided to just sit back and await a decision but could only bear to watch the argument and fight for so long. They too had an opinion about who should carry the ball or should I say which governmental theory to abide; therefore, they wanted to intervene.

The Korean War began on June 25th, 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea. On June 27th, 1950, American United Nations forces intervened to stop the advance. This action has positively and negatively affected both the United States and Korea. Deciding to aid South Korea in the Korean War has drastically changed the lives of many people.