Korean War

Designed by:
LTC Frank J. Gammon (U.S. Army (Retired))
Senior Army Instructor 

Statesville High School, Statesville, NC 

January 2001

Introduction | Task | Resources | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits | Teacher Notes
 

30 Caliber Machine Gun	50 Caliber Machine Gun	M1 Grand Rifle	105 MM
#FEC-50-9336 (Chang)	#8A/FEC-50-7043 (SFC Riley)	#24/SIG-FEC-50-4242	#8A/FEC-50-6133 (Meyers)

Signal Corps Photographs Courtesy of U.S. Army Center of Military History

 

Introduction
 

On 25 June 1950 135,000 troops of the North Korean Peoples Army invaded South Korea.  This was the beginning of a three-year conflict on the Korean Peninsula that remains unresolved to this day.  The Korean Conflict was an undeclared war that some called a police action; however, to those involved it was a serious war.  The first major war of the Cold War between communism and democracy.

The year 2000 marked the beginning of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War.  This 50^th anniversary celebration is a salute to the sacrifices made by young Americans, the South Korean people, and our United Nations Allies to keep South Korea free.

Task 1.  Describe the situation in North and South Korea following the end of World War II and prior to the start of the Korean Conflict (1945-1950).

Task 2.  Explain why North Korea attacked South Korea.

Task 3.  Explain why the United States Army was unprepared for the Korean Conflict, and the impact of being unprepared.

Task 4.  Explain the mission, composition, and deployment of Task Force Smith.Describe the events and results of Task Force Smith’s contact with the North Korean Army.

Task 5.  Describe the Composition of the United Nations Forces deployed to defend South Korean.

Task 6.  Describe the weapons of the Korean Conflict (US and South Korean vs. North Korean and Chinese).

Task 7.  Describe the role of women soldiers in the Korean Conflict, and compare and contrast that role with the role of women in today's Army.

Task 8.  Describe the desegregation of the U.S. Army prior to the Korean Conflict, and compare and contrast the involvement of African American soldiers in the Korean Conflict with their involvement in World War II.

Task 9.  Describe the background, role, and impact of selected senior military, and political leaders involved in the Korean Conflict (task for LET 3 and above).

Students will work in two or three person groups to research, prepare, and present a formal multimedia presentation explaining their assigned task

The Process

LET 2 Cadets will be organized into student workgroups consisting of two, but no more than three students. Each workgroup will be assigned a task from Tasks 1-8.

LET 3 – 4 Cadets will be assigned selected senior military or political leaders from the Korean War era as described in Task 9. Cadets will work alone or in pairs as directed by the Instructor.

Student workgroups are responsible for conducting detailed research of their assigned task using the internet links provided (Resources); however, workgroups are encouraged to use additional sources such as books, articles, maps, videos, and interviews with veterans.Workgroups much search through the resource links provided to find the information necessary to complete their assigned tasks – finding the material to complete the tasks will require effort. A source card must be prepared on each reference used to prepare your presentation. In addition, any data presented must be supported with information cards.The source and information cards must be prepared as shown, and explained, in the LET 2 Manual, page 6. These source and information cards must be turned in when the final presentation is presented. Before beginning:

·Read LET 1 Manual, pages 73-76.

·Read LET 2, Manual page 6 (research).

·Read LET 2, Manual pages 177-190. 

Student briefings will be no less than ten minutes and no more than twenty minutes in length.  Audiovisual sources may be integrated into the briefing; however, they may not make up more than 25% of the total briefing length without permission of the instructor.

Briefings must be multimedia using a minimum of three different presentation mediums such as (but not limited to): charts, overheads, maps, video, photographs, handouts, PowerPoint; however, these sources must enhance your briefing -- not distract from it.

Student groups will be given five class periods to research, organize, prepare, and rehearse their briefings.Two additional class periods will be used for workgroup briefings.

The grade you receive for this project is 10% of your grade for the current quarter. Each individual will be evaluated using the Evaluation Rubric shown at Evaluation.The rubric consist of seven parts. Each individual will receive a grade for each of the seven parts; the seven grades will then be added and divided by seven to obtain the overall grade for the project.

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What you have researched, briefed, and heard from your classmates about the Korean War allows you to see the sacrifices made during the Cold War to keep not only our nation, but also other nations of the world free.  Many of those who fought in the Korean War believe that they are forgotten soldiers -- that their war is the "Forgotten War."  Your efforts in this class, what you have learned, and what you have shared with your classmates, will keep these veterans of the Korean War from becoming forgotten soldiers, and their war from becoming the "Forgotten War."

Department of Defense 50th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemorative Web Site

Korean War Net

Korean War Project