The Korean War 1950-1953 4219-SA119
The Korean conflict of early 1950s was the first confrontation of regular armies of both sides of the Cold War. Almost three years of fighting did not bring about victory of either the United Nations or Communist forces. The truce of 1953 did not solve the Korean problem as well. That conflict had, however, a strong impact on the politics of both the USA and Soviet Union up to the end of Cold War era. The very concept of local or limited war, sometimes called a war by proxies, was born of the struggles for Korea. We will discuss the most important aspects of what was not even legally a war in that country between 1950 and 1953. Among them were, for instance, the role of the United States in post-World War II world politics, the place of the UN in American foreign policy of that period, danger and possibility of a nuclear war, problem of the Japanese Peace Treaty as well as the crucial problem of the civilian-military relation in American political system. Finally, the results and lessons of "the war before Vietnam" for both the USA and the world will be analyzed. The American diplomatic documents, statements and correspondence as well as press articles and the memoirs will provide us with source materials.
Type of course
Prerequisites (description)
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
1. Knowledge
Upon completing this course student:
• Has in-depth knowledge of the genesis and course of the Korean War
• Analyzes various types of military confrontations of the Cold War
• Recognizes the complex US relations with the allied countries of Asia and Europe in the middle of the XX century
2. Skills
Upon completing this course student:
• can explain the motives for political and military moves in the Korean War
• can see relations between the entirety of the Cold War and local conflicts
• is able to formulate his or her own opinions on differences in American attempts at the Korean War
3. Social competences
Upon completing this course student:
• Understands and appreciates the role of the Korean War in American foreign policy towards Asia and the Far East
• Is able to take a stance on American and other disputes about the Korean War
• Is able to get more knowledge of the history of American Far Eastern Policy
Assessment criteria
Active participation in the classes (60%); at least one presentaion on the subject connected with the topic, and approved by the teacher, or a paper on it (40%); presence at most of the classes.
Bibliography
Margueritte Higgins: War in Korea. The Report of a Woman Combat Correspondent. Garden City, NY 1951;
Mark W. Clark: From the Danube to the Yalu. NY 1954;
Douglas MacArthur: Reminiscences. NY 1964;
I. F. Stone: The Hidden History of the Korean War. NY 1952;
Harry S. Truman: Memoirs. NY 1966;
Korea: Cold War and Limited War (documents) ed. by Allen Guttman, Lexington, Mass. 1972;
Matthew Ridgway: The Korean War. NY 1967
Topics:
1 class:
Introduction – the primary and secondary sources, the ways of using them.
2 class:
The Korean Problem Up to 1948 .
3 class:
A New Pearl Harbor?
4 - 5 classes:
Who Was Guilty? And Who Says That?
6 - 7 classes:
American Images of the First Battles In Korea.
8 class:
Almost a Victory – Almost a Defeat (September – December 1950).
9 and 10 classes:
Changing Fortunes of the War (December 1950 – April 1951.
11 class:
Hero ‘s Departure – The Recall of General MacArthur – Explanations A.D. 1951.
12 class:
Hero’s Departure – Explanations Years After.
13 - 14 classes:
Contrasting Views On the Aims and Limits of the Military Operations in Cold War: Testimonies before the US Senate Armed Forces and Foreign Policy Committees in 1951.
15 class:
Birth of the History’s Longest Armistice.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: