In class we will evaluate a primary source document—a statement by the President on the Situation in Korea.
To let the students see why we became involved in Korea.
The student will read the primary source document and then engage in a discussion answering the following questions: What type of document is it? When was it written? What was its purpose?
- National History Standards: Era 9-Postwar United States (1945-Early 1970s)
Standard 2A-Examine the US response to the Chinese Revolution and its impact on the Cold War;
Analyze the causes of the Korean War and how a divided Korea remained a source of
international tension.
- National Standard for Civics and Government: Standard IV.B.2-Evaluate, take, and defend positions about how United States foreign policy is made
and the means by which it is carried out.
- Kansas standard Benchmark 3: The student uses a working knowledge and understanding of individuals, groups, ideas, developments, and turning points in the era of the Cold War (1945-1990). Analyze the origins of the Cold War
SHOW ME STANDARDS
2. Continuity and change in the history of Missouri, the United States and the world
6. Relationships of the individual and groups to institutions and cultural traditions
7. The use of tools of social science inquiry (such as surveys, statistics, maps, documents)
- Video The Korean War 1950-1953
- Textbook
- # 173 Statement by the President on the Situation in Korea found in the public papers of President Harry S. Truman
https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/public-papers/173/statement-president-situation-korea - Excerpt from the Prava editorial that was issued in response Truman’s statement of June 27th.
American ruling circles have gone over to direct acts of aggression' from Pravda (28 June 1950)
- 1. Have students locate the Korean peninsula on a world map. Ask them to also locate Japan, the former U.S.S.R., the United States, China and the 38th parallel.
- Each student will receive a copy of #173. Statement by the President on the Situation in Korea. They will read the document and then discuss what type of document it is. when it was written. What was it purpose?
- Students are divided into at least two groups. One group will make a list of reasons why the United States entered the Korean conflict. This information will come from the primary source document. The second group will make a list of the reasons why the United States entered the Korean Conflict. They will get their information from their text. Following this there will be a discussion comparing the two lists.
- Following the discussion, ask them what Truman meant by “Communism has passed beyond the use of subversion to conquer independent nations. Include in this discussion a definition for the word “subversion” and what that word meant to people during the Cold War.
- **Write the starred item on the board or in a power point.
- Talk to the students about the Soviet reaction to Truman’s statement.
**”Truman’s statement and actions, unprecedented in the international relations of the post-war period, are just one more indication the American ruling circles no longer limit themselves to preparation for aggression, but have gone over to direct acts of aggression, but have gone over to direct acts of aggression...As is known, neither the United Nations nor any other international organ empowered the government of the USA to take those actions related to Korea and China that Truman announced yesterday. Undertaking their open aggressive act, the American government apparently intended to present the United Nations with a fait accompli.”
1. Have students return to their groups and then draft their own public statement announcing the entry of the United States into the Korean War.
2. Ask students to write a paragraph comparing the language and argument of Prava’s editorial with that of Truman’s statement.