In 1946, Korea was divided into two sections: the northern part was Soviet backed and communist and the southern part was American backed. The division was along the 38th parallel latitudinal line that divided the country. Kim II Sung organized the communist government in the north, the Democratic People’s Republic and Syngman Rhee Set up the Republic of Korea in the south. Each government hoped to reunify the country.
On June 25, 1950, conflict erupted along the 38th parallel when North Korean forces attacked points along the 38th parallel. These forces headed directly south and were aimed towards the city of Seoul. This was declared a breach of peace by the United Nations Security Council. President Truman immediately acted and committed American forces to a combined United Nations military effort along with 15 other nations. This was a conflict and not an act of war because President Truman never went to Congress and asked for war to be declared again North Korea. The official reason for the United States to enter the conflict was that the United States did not want to see communism spread. It was a part of the cold war era.
The American involvement in the Korean War was justified, in that the spread of communism did need to be stopped. It was the manner in which the action was carried out that was done incorrectly. By joining the United Nations peacekeeping efforts, Truman did act in a justified manner. He was not acting on his own. He was not acting as a vigilante. He was acting as one part of a 15 member nation peacekeeping force, which was justified. The part that was done incorrectly on his part was not going to Congress and having the act of war declared (Teaching with documents, 2012). The mere act of not having gone to congress is what made this war unjustifiable. That one act on President Truman’s Part would have made this war a justified effort. As commander in Chief, he knew his duties. He chose not to follow the directives of his office (Barbarossa, 2009).
References
Barbarossa. (2009). The Korean War. Retrieved from:
http://allempires.com/article/index.php?q=korean_war
Teaching with documents. (2012). The U.S. enters the Korean War. Retrieved from:
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/korean-conflict/
