How did the Korean War begin?
After WW II through 1990, there was a world wide struggle, known as the Cold War, between the democratic nations of the world (the West), US, Canada, Australia, & the free nations of Western Europe, against the communist nations of the East, (USSR, China, communist nations of Eastern Europe). As the communists tried to take over nations, the West tried to block these efforts. The US supported many pro West local leaders or groups who were anti communist. Even though many of these local leaders were dictators, or lead repressive govts. the US would still support or aid them as long as they were anti communist. In China, after a 20 year long civil war, the communists came to power in 1949, led by Mao ZeDong. The Nationalists, led by Chaing Kai Shek, were forced off the Chinese mainland, & settled on the island of Formosa off Chinas southeast coast. Formosa was renamed Taiwan. Taiwan represented all of China in the UN for over 20 years until the US finally permitted Mainland China entry i
C. The US set up the South Korean army along the lines of the Philippine constabulary, not like a full-fledged army at all, because of fears that Rhee might attack the North. That was a little too tempting to Kim, who also wanted a re-unification. There were US soldiers in South Korea when the North Koreans attacked, but they were part of KMAG, under the State Department.
