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Podcast: Cold War Cast
Episode:

The Korean War Begins
Category: Society & Culture
Duration: 00:30:56
Publish Date: 2018-09-15 07:49:17
Description:

On June 25 of 1950, the Korean War finally went hot.  North Korean troops made light work out of the ill-prepared South Koreans and captured Seoul by June 28.   Back in the US President Truman was whisked away from Missouri and back to Washington to sit down and make some tough decisions.  US forces, perhaps running on fumes from World War II success and prestige, were in for a rude awakening once they “saw the elephant” in Korea for the first time.  The Americans simply weren’t prepared for this kind of conflict and had to dig deep in order to get the men and assets they needed in theater.

This will turn out to become a big “see, I told you so” moment for the kind of people who drafted NSC-68 and generally supported the idea of maintaining a large, professional military (and military industrial complex) constantly on a high state of alert.

Eventually the American and South Korean forces were able to hold the line at the Pusan Perimeter while American naval and air power peppered the North Koreans.  General MacArthur’s landing at Inchon behind North Korean lines ended up driving the Norks back across the 38th parallel.   Stalin’s pissed that Kim Il Sung blew it and requests the Chinese come to the rescue.  The Chinese warn the US (or, um, the “United Nations”) that if it crosses the 38th parallel, they’d view it as a hostile act towards China.

Tune in next week for the next chapter of the story!
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