AN ANNIVERSARY – AT 7:50 P.M. ET:  Some sixty-one years ago today, Communist forces crossed the 38th parallel into South Korea, thus beginning the Korean War.

It is widely believed that one reason for the invasion was a speech delivered by Secretary of State Dean Acheson in January of that year, 1950, in which he laid out areas the United States would defend, and left out South Korea.  The invasion, while conducted by North Korean troops, was supplied by the Soviet Union, which undoubtedly had ultimate control on the Communist side.   

President Truman immediately realized the importance of the invasion, and its potential for destabilizing Asia, and ordered American air and naval support.  That quickly was expanded to include American ground troops.  Because of a Soviet diplomatic blunder at the UN, we were able to get a resolution passed endorsing the use of force to resist the Communist assault.

The decision by Truman to fight was obviously painful and costly.  The United States lost 38,000 men in Korea.  However, South Korea's independence was successfully defended, and the Soviets learned that aggression would be punished.  The war diminished Truman's already weak popularity even further.  When he left office in January of 1953, his approval rating was in the 20s. 

Today Truman is generally regarded as an outstanding president, especially in foreign policy.  He laid the foundation for American resistance to Soviet expansion.  No Jimmy Carter he. 

Korea is called the "forgotten war."  Veterans of the war were almost overlooked at commemorations, in favor of their slightly older comrades from World War II.  Even today most Americans know little about Korea, even though this country fought some of the most bitter battles in its history on Korean soil.  Korea may be "forgotten" in part because it ended in what is widely, but inaccurately, called a stalemate.  In fact, we accomplished our primary military objective in the Korean War, the successful defense of South Korea, and for that we must remember the men of this country, South Korea, and our allies, for making that possible. 

June 25, 2011