FREE ESSAY ON US INVOLOVEMENT IN KOREA

US INVOLOVEMENT IN KOREA

The question of whether The United States was right to enter into the Korean war is not a
geomilitary question, but rather an ethical one. Was the US just in their decision? To
respond to this dilemma, we look to Just War Theory as our guide. Just War Theory denotes
the inevitability of war, distinguishing between a moral and immoral war. The basic
qualifications for a Just war involve a defensive or Punitive war. An offensive war is
usually the immoral one. Aristotle helps to justify Just War Theory with his notion that,
No one chooses to be at war or provokes war for the sake of war...We make war that we may
live at peace.
In the late 1940's, the United States viewed the Soviet threat in regards to their
expansionist abilities. The US feared the psychological pressure forced upon the
periphery countries of the Soviet Union. The priorities of The US centered around the
strengthening of Western Europe and the peripheral countries in order to build their
self-confidence in the struggle with Communist intrusion. The State department's
attitude, cited by John Foster Dulles, was that, If conduct indicates a disposition to
fall back and allow doubtful areas to fall under Communist control, then many nations
will feel confirmed in the impression.
In Cicero's Just War theory, he clarifies that war, ...should be a lastresort, turned to
only when discussion is unsuccessful. Why did the US not try to negotiate before the
Korean War? The truth is that the US could not negotiate until the Soviet's changed. As
it was, the Soviet's had the negotiation advantage of both secrecy and the ability to
manipulate public opinion by isolating the public from external influence. Through this
lack of public opinion, the US and Soviets had few negotiations at all before the war and
were not about to begin them now. The US could not negotiate with the Soviets until the
Soviets came to the realization that their capabilities for Eurasian domination were
futile in comparison to the strength of the US and its Eurasian industrial core.
The United States, in the Cold war era, took on the responsibility of the Defender of the
Free World. If this sounds like a Superhero's title, that probably correctly reflects the
amount of pressure and stress placed on the Administration. When the Republic of South
Korea was invaded by the Soviet-backed Communist North Koreans, the US had no choice but
to intervene. They were not on the offense, but rather on the defense. They actually
decided to take the war only to the North-South Korean border, but no farther into
Communist territory. With the defensive nature of the fight, we see the moral and ethical
stature of the decision. John Foster Dulles's comment on the war helps to clarify the
US's position, To sit by while Korea is overrun by an unprovoked armed attack would start
a disastrous chain of events, leading most probably to World war. Truman relays similar
sentiments that, If aggression were allowed to succeed in Korea, it would be an open
invitation to new acts of aggression everywhere.
The decision of the US to enter into Korea was both an ethical and moral decision. The US
pledged to defend against Russian expansion and they had to live up to their end of the
bargain. They were fighting a defensive war. Most say that the Soviets were not directly
responsible so therefore the US was not right in their entrance into the war. Well, what
does someone do when they want something aggressive accomplished, but do not want to be
involved? They send someone else to do the job. The US knew that the Soviets were behind
North Korea and this time the Soviets did not have an allaby for their defense.
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