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Impact of the Korean War The Korean War was a civil and military struggle that was fought on the Korean Peninsula betweenthe North and South of Korea and which reached its height between 1950 and 1953. 1 It srcinatedwith the division of Korea after the Second World War along the 38th parallel, in 1945 2 .The rivalrybetween the two Korea's drew third party countries into what became a global political and ideologicaldispute. There were multiple repercussions from the Korean War, both locally and on a global scale.Locally, the war had an immense effect upon the Korean population in both the North and South.Along with the significant loss of life, many families were separated because of the war. Despite this,some of the outcomes were substantially positive. This included the effects on Japan's economy, asit was boosted considerably during the progression of the war and resulted in improvements in racialrelations within the United States. The Korean War also impacted the course Cold War and broughtimportant changes and technological advancements that are essential to current modern day life.The Korean War had a profound social impact on the population of Korean and the consequences ofthe war can still be seen today. Along with the immense numbers of civilian casualties, the warseparated families and displaced thousands of people. 3 Within three months after the beginning of thewar, 57,000 South Koreans were listed as missing and more than a half million homes had beeneither destroyed or damaged 4 . Additionally many civilians had also become refugees. Civilianstravelled in crammed trains, by foot and by ship to get across the border 5 . Refugees from the Northwere often wealthy landholders, fearing religious or political persecution. Kim Won Yop, a landholderof North Korea stated "many people came to South Korea from North Korea. I am sure they haddifferent political thoughts and ideas. But people came to South Korea for religion because in NorthKorea they could not keep their own religion. People had such a strong motivation to live and I amsure that if they had not had that type of motivation, they would not have been able to survive. Theywere also encouraged by their religion." 6 Children were also significantly affected by the Korean War.In 1954, an international child welfare agency estimated that two million children under the age of 18had been displaced from their homes 7 . At war's end, hundreds of thousands of Koreans, includingchildren found themselves on opposite sides of the 38th Parallel from relatives and families. Theybecame the "separated families" who, until the 1980s, had no hope of seeing each other, some evento present day 8 . The loss of family relations meant that family histories and connections would haveceased. This demonstrates the negative and far-reaching impacts of the Korean War on the localpopulation. The war had lasting consequences beyond Korea’s borders. Much of the material used in the war was bought from nearby Japan. The Korean War had a considerably positive impact on Japan, inparticular its economy. At the end of World War II, Japan's economy was in ruins 9 . In 1950 Japans' 1 Spurr, M, 2007. Twentieth Century History 1945-2000. 1st ed. Collingwood: History Teachers' Association of Victoria. 2 Ibid. 3 SohnJie-Ae. 2009. Long-separated Korean families have reunion. [ONLINE] Availableat:http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/09/26/koreas.reunion/index.html.[Accessed 11 July 13]. 4 The Korean War: A Still Present Past | Still Present Pasts. 2013. The Korean War: A Still Present Past | StillPresent Pasts. [ONLINE] Available at:http://stillpresentpasts.org/history-english.[Accessed 01 August 2013] 5 Spurr, M, 2007. Twentieth Century History 1945-2000. 1st ed. Collingwood: History Teachers' Association of Victoria. 6 Ibid. 7 Ibid. 8 Ibid. economy was drastically boosted as Japan became an invaluable base for the United States in theKorean conflict . Japan’s geographical location was valuable as the proximity made it a convenientbase as it supplied food, repair, harbors, airfields, cotton goods and ships for military 10 . The militaryexpenditures of the United States and other nations involved in the Korean War totalled to roughly $4billion and stimulated the Japanese economy to a growth that continued for the next four decades 11 .These funds helped to fuel investment by Japanese firms in new plants and equipment 12 . Thedynamic boost Japan's economy was given as a result of the war was extremely important to Japan.Indeed, if the outbreak of the Korean War had not occurred, the current state of the Japaneseeconomy could not have been achieved and be as successful as it is today.Aside from global recognition of China as an emerging world power, the Korean War had a generally negative impact on the People’s Republic of China. The Peoples' Republic of China joined the Korean War with a desire to preserve a North Korean Communist State, but they not aim to dominate it 13 . Generally, the PRC wanted North Korea to serve as a buffer between Manchuria and the USdominated South Korea 14 . However, as a result of their involvement in the conflict there was asignificant human loss, with over 600,000 military killed or missing and over 716,000 militarywounded 15 . China however has since become one of North Korea’s most important allies. China has supported North Korea ever since the Chinese were involved in the Korean War. Since the KoreanWar divided the peninsula between the North and South, China has lent political and economicbacking to North Korea's leaders: Kim Il-Sung (1912-1994), Kim Jong-Il (1941-2011), and his son andsuccessor Kim Jong-un (1983- ) 16 .China has helped sustain what is now Kim Jong-un's regime, andhas historically opposed harsh international economic sanctions 17 . This would have in the hope ofavoiding regime collapse and an uncontrolled arrival of refugees across its eight hundred-mile borderwith North Korea. These relations and support currently is having a global impact as well as a hugepolitical impact for Korea and all srcinated from the Korean War.The United States became involved in the Korean War due to the Truman Doctrine in 1947 whichessentially guaranteed that the US would support countries fighting communism 18 . The war had asignificant economic and human cost for the US, however it also resulted in the United Statesexpanding its military, and creating new military treaties. The United States military had been caughtill-prepared for the war. Accordingly, after the war, the American defence budget was boosted to $50billion, the Army was doubled in size, as was the number of Air Groups, and they were deployedoutside American territory in Europe, the Middle East and elsewhere in Asia 19 . Taiwan, Japan and 10 Pradyumna, P. Karan, 2005. Japan in the 21st century. Environment, economy and society.. 1st ed. Kentucky:Kentucky Press. 11 Wen, J.P, 1984. The gift of the gods: the impact of the Korean War on Japan. 1st ed. Norfolk: Norfolk, VA 12 Ibid. 13 Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2010. Korean War Armistice Anniversary: The Human Cost . [ONLINE] Availableat:http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2010/07/korean-war-armistice-anniversary-the-human-cost-picture-of-the-day/.[Accessed 08 August 13]. 14 Sparknotes. 2011. Korean war - Chinese Intervention . [ONLINE] Availableat:http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/koreanwar/section6.rhtml.[Accessed 12 August 13] 15 Ibid. 16 JayshreeBajoria. 2013. The China-North Korea Relationship . [ONLINE] Availableat:http://www.cfr.org/china/china-north-korea-relationship/p11097.[Accessed 31 July 13]. 17 Ibid.18Spurr, M, 2007. Twentieth Century History 1945-2000. 1st ed. Collingwood: History Teachers' Association of Victoria19SparkNotes. 2012. Aftermath of the Korean war . [ONLINE] Availableat:http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/koreanwar/section10.rhtml.[Accessed 13 August 13]. South Korea are all now guaranteed by treaty and US troops stationed appropriately 20 . A further resultof the Korean War was the beginning of racial integration in the United States military service. Gerald Early stated that the "Korean War’s impact on integration and racial relations in the United States […] was a driving force behind integration efforts during the early years of the civil rights movement." 21 President Harry S. Truman issued an executive order integrating the armed services in 1948,something that had been recommended by his Commission on Civil Rights, but it was arguably theKorean War which helped truly initiate that integration 22 By the end of the war, the military would havebecome the most integrated institution in the United States which would have been a significant stepforward into the racial equality movement.The Korean War also had an impact on the broader Cold War conflict, and changed the course of thewar itself. The Korean War was the first armed confrontation of the Cold War, which initially began asan ideological war between the nations and set the standard for many later conflicts. It embodied the idea of a ‘proxy war’, where the two superpowers would fight via another country, forcing the people in that nation to suffer the bulk of the destruction and death involved in a war between such largenations. It also expanded the Cold War to a global conflict and exacerbated the tensions between thecountries, which to that point had mostly been concerned with Europe 23 . The Korean War alsoresulted in significant advancements in technology as the Russians and the Americans investedheavily in technology to outdo each other, both in the missile race and in the space race, which weremajor events of the Cold War 24 . Lots of the technology used today is derived from advances madethen, such as digital watches and LCD screens from display panels 25 . Thus, the Korean War effectedthe progression of war as well as encouraged the advancement of the science and technologicalfields that has helped society to present day.The Korean War which broke out in 1950 and ended in 1953 had global impacts, affecting all nationsinvolved. These impacts were largely economic and social. Korea was left with devastating loss of life,as well as family separation and destruction of land and houses, displacing millions of people ashomeless or refugees. The war however, did have outcomes that were more positive including theeffects on the Japanese economy and America's racial integration. Countries like China experiencedboth positive and negative impacts, with a variety of different social consequences and creation ofnew allies, the most significant outcome of which was their global recognition. Overall, the KoreanWar has had lasting consequences both locally and globally. The progression of the Cold war andmodern advancements in technology and existing treaties could not have been without the KoreanWar. 20 Ibid. 21 Neil Schoenherr. 2003. Korean War had major impact on race relations in the United States. [ONLINE]Available at:http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/304.aspx.[Accessed 01 August 13]. 22 Ibid. 23 Study the past. 2008. Cold war science and technology. [ONLINE] Availableat:http://www.studythepast.com/vbprojects/cold_war_science_and_technology.htm.[Accessed 16 July 13]. 24 Ibid. 25 Ibid.
