Activity 1 - How did the Korean War end?

  1. Recall - Examine and make notes from Slides 1-11 of the Lesson Presentation on the key events that led to the end of the conflict. 
  2. Read - Read pages 65-71 of Bragg, C. (2005). Heinemann Advanced History: Vietnam, Korea and US Foreign Policy 1945-75. Make notes on how the war was ended, then try to answer the following questions:
    1. Why was the dismissal of General MacArthur a sign of failure for Truman’s war strategy?
    2. Why were US negotiations with the USSR/PRC to end the war conducted in secret?
    3. What caused the communists to seek a ceasefire in 1951?
    4. Why did talks break down over the issue of the ceasefire line?
    5. What role did the air war play in hastening negotiations?
    6. Why did the negotiations take so long to conclude?
    7. What impact did the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower have on negotiations?
  3. Create - Create a mind-map that sorts the various reasons as to how the Korean War ended. Use the information from the Lesson Presentation and your reading to help you find historical content.

Activity 2 - Why did the Korean War end?

  1. Identify - Identify and make notes from Slides 15-17 of the Lesson Presentation on the different perspectives on why the Korean War was resolved.
  2. Record - Use the Lesson Presentation to help you complete the first column on the table on this worksheet by summarising the views of the main historiographical perspectives.
  3. Reflect - Which historical perspective do you agree with the most and why? Share your ideas with the class.

Activity 3 - What other perspectives exist?

  1. Read - With a partner, examine and take notes from this journal article by Keefer, E.D. (1986). President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the End of the Korean War. 
  2. Identify - Complete the second column of this worksheet by using the above reading to help you record details about historical events that could be used as evidence to support each of the historiographical perspectives.
  3. Discuss - To what extent can Eisenhower be credited for the successful conclusion of the armistice negotiations?

Further Reading

OBLIGATORY READING 
  1. Bragg, C. (2005). Heinemann Advanced History: Vietnam, Korea and US Foreign Policy 1945-75, pp. 65-71
RECOMMENDED READING
SUPPLEMENTAL READING
  1. Keefer, E. (1986). President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the End of the Korean War. Diplomatic History, 10(3), 267-289.
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