In his memoirs, Truman called his decision to intervene in Korea the “toughest” decision of his presidency. Truman admonished Dean Acheson, his secretary of state, with these words: “Dean, we’ve got to stop the sons of bitches, no matter what, and that’s all there is to it.”

Under a severe time constraint, the President acted without seeking the consent of Congress or the American people. This experience of the Korean War brought about a significant emphasis on the nuclear deterrent and transformed the Air Force’s Strategic Air Command into a major pillar of US foreign policy. The conflict resulted in the firing of an American Secretary of Defense the relief of a popular and powerful military commander brought into military usage the term “limited war” and produced the “never again” school of US officers, military leaders, and governmental officials committed to the proposition that the US should not ever again become embroiled in a land war in Asia. The American military fought the war under restrictions-the first major American war, as one historian observed, that was not fought as a crusade. It was an undeclared war, a “police action” that triggered a national emergency and a military buildup. The Korean War, though close to World War II in time, was far different. Korea remains divided between north and south at the 38th parallel, and United States forces still stand guard. China’s bold entry into war forced decisions and generated consequences that remain part of today’s military, political, and geographical picture. It may be known as “the Forgotten War,” but the Korean conflict in many ways shaped the American military-political landscape for half a century. of the Army Douglas MacArthur, commander of United States forces in the Far East and commander in chief, United Nations Command, emphasized, “We face an entirely new war.” This attack 50 years ago by 250,000 Chinese troops transformed the conflict and precipitated a massive US military buildup. In late November 1950, Chinese Communist troops entered the Korean War in force, driving South Korean forces into retreat.

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