Impact of the Korean War

How successful was American intervention in Korea?

The Korean War fulfilled a number of US containment aims, but at a cost.

How successful was American intervention in Korea?

The Korean War was successful from the point of view of the US for a number of reasons.

• ❖ South Korea remained out of communist hands.
• ❖ The UN was shown to be more purposeful than the League of Nations had been, in using military sanctions to stop an act of aggression.
• ❖ It confirmed US policy in Asia and led to the setting up of SEATO.

How was American intervention in Korea unsuccessful?

The success of the Korean War was limited by a number of factors.

• ❖ It was costly in terms of life and money. The number of Americans who died per year was actually higher than during the Vietnam War.
• ❖ It failed to liberate North Korea from communism.
• ❖ It highlighted tension between American leaders, those who wanted to contain and prevent the spread of communism, and those who wanted to push back and win back communist countries.
• ❖ When China involved itself in the war it became a new major threat for the USA. Even after the fighting had stopped, US soldiers remained stationed in South Korea which irritated the Chinese government and put pressure on relations between the two countries.
• ❖ It had a devastating impact on the Korean people. Around a 10th of the population died.