The Initial Goals of the Korean War
The main countries involved all had their own reasons for fighting the Korean War. Kim Il Sung declared war at 11:00 a.m. on June 25, 1950, about 7 hours after North Korea crossed the 38th parallel. His goal was to unite all of the Korean peninsula under the rule of the Korean Communist Party. South Korea was an anticommunist and tried to fight for the survival of their own democratic society. China, like North Korea, also supported the spread of communism and quickly went to their aid to keep North Korea as a communist nation, The US on the other hand, supported South Korea and its resistance towards communism. It went to help South Korea so they could push North Korea back to the 38th parallel. By doing this, the US hoped to halt the domino effect of the spread of communism in Asia. The Soviet Union did not take an active part in the hostilities, still helped supply advisers and equipment to North Korea. They probably wanted to observe the US weakening militarily, politically, and economically.
The goals of the US were in a way, met. The US tried to halt the advance of North Korea and even though South Korea did remain intact in the end, there was never a formal peace signed, only a cease fire. Technically, the war still goes on between the two to this day and there have been much tension between the two. The goal of containing communism wasn't really that successful.
The goals of the US were in a way, met. The US tried to halt the advance of North Korea and even though South Korea did remain intact in the end, there was never a formal peace signed, only a cease fire. Technically, the war still goes on between the two to this day and there have been much tension between the two. The goal of containing communism wasn't really that successful.