"If we let Korea down, the Soviets will keep right on going and swallow up one place after another." ~ Pres. Harry Truman
Rumors and accusations of communism infiltration tapped into the fears of communism taking over.
Truman saw the Communist invasion of South Korea as a test of the containment policy and ordered United States naval and air power into action. As far as the American officials were concerned, it was a war against the forces of international communism. Many feared that it was the first step in a communist campaign to take over the world. Nonintervention of the war was not even an option to begin with.
In April 1950, a National Security Council report known as NSC-68 had recommended that the U.S use military force to "contain" communist expansionism anywhere it seemed to be, regardless of the intrinsic strategic or economic value of the lands and question. `
At first, the war was a defensive one- to get the communists out of South Korea, but it did not work. Truman and MacArthur then decided to make it an offensive war. A war to liberate the North from the Communists.
By July, American troops entered the war to help South Korea.
Rumors and accusations of communism infiltration tapped into the fears of communism taking over.
Truman saw the Communist invasion of South Korea as a test of the containment policy and ordered United States naval and air power into action. As far as the American officials were concerned, it was a war against the forces of international communism. Many feared that it was the first step in a communist campaign to take over the world. Nonintervention of the war was not even an option to begin with.
In April 1950, a National Security Council report known as NSC-68 had recommended that the U.S use military force to "contain" communist expansionism anywhere it seemed to be, regardless of the intrinsic strategic or economic value of the lands and question. `
At first, the war was a defensive one- to get the communists out of South Korea, but it did not work. Truman and MacArthur then decided to make it an offensive war. A war to liberate the North from the Communists.
By July, American troops entered the war to help South Korea.