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Blair House
Normally the Vice President's residence, Truman lived in Blair House because the White House was being renovated. It was in Blair House that Truman and his key advisors met to discuss the Korean War.
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Demilitarized Zone
A buffer zone between North and South Korea created under the terms of the armistice signed on July 27, 1953 which ended the war. Though the zone was supposed to be free of both troops and weapons, in practice it is heavily militarized, with over 1 million North and South Korean troops facing off.
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Formosa
Today called Taiwan, Formosa was the seat of Chiang Kai- Shek's Chinese nationalist government-in-exile after it was defeated by Mao's Communist forces.
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Inchon
A port on the West Coast of Korea. On September 15, 1950, MacArthur made a surprise amphibious landing here which allowed his X Corps to retake Seoul and the rest of South Korea.
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Iron Triangle
Area in North Korea bounded by Pyonggang (not Pyongyang), Chorwon, and Kumhwa. The Iron Triangle was the Communists staging area for attacks into South Korea.
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Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS)
High-ranking American military council, comprised of the chairman, the vice chairman, the chief of staff of the army, the chief of naval operations, the chief of staff of the air force, and the commandant of the Marine Corps.
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Kwantung Army
Japanese Army that occupied Manchuria before and during World War II.
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Manchuria
A valuable industrial and agricultural center, Manchuria lies to the north of Korea, and has variously belonged to Imperial China, Imperial Russia, the Soviet Union, Japan, and the People's Republic of China.
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NSC-81/1
National Security Council document that gave a rationale by which the UN Commander (i.e. MacArthur) would cross the 38TH Parallel and invade North Korea. NSC-81/1 stated that, if possible, the US should try and bring about complete unification of an anti-Communist Korean state. The document has been criticized for espousing faulty logic.
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North Korean People's Army (NKPA)
The official army of North Korea.
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Open Door
An 1899-1900 foreign policy of the US in reference to China, under which all countries would have equal trade privileges in China.
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Panmunjom
The location of the second half of the peace-treaty negotiations during the Korean War. Near the 38th Parallel.
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People's Republic of China (PRC)
Communist China.
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PRK
Democratic People's Republic of Korea. (North Korea)
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Pusan
Located on the southeast tip of the Korean peninsula, it is one of Korea's greatest ports. After the initial North Korean invasion in 1950, ROK forces were pushed back to Pusan.
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Pyongyang
The North Korean capital.
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Quemoy
An island belonging to the Chinese Nationalists under Chiang Kai- Shek.
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ROK
Republic of Korea. (South Korea)
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Seoul
South Korean capital.
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Suwon
Location where the ROK Army established a temporary command during the early stages of North Korea's invasion.
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United Nations (UN)
An international peace-keeping organization established after World War II.
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X Corps
MacArthur's Marines, responsible for the Inchon invasion.
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Yalu
A river dividing North Korea from Manchuria.
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Boxer Rebellion
A 1900 movement in China to expel foreigners. The name "Boxer" was the nickname given to the secret Chinese organization "the Harmonious and Righteous Fists."
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Russo-Japanese War
1904-1905 conflict between Imperial Russia and Japan primarily over Manchuria. The Japanese routed and embarrassed the Russians and defeated their fleet. At the Battle of Mukden, which the Japanese won, more soldiers (624,000) were involved than in any battle before or since. The Treaty of Portsmouth, mediated by US President Teddy Roosevelt, ended the war, and gave Japan a protectorate in nominally-independent Korea.
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Sino-Japanese War
1895 war in which the Japanese soundly defeated China, and began looking to expand into China's traditional sphere of influence.
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Wake Island
Island in the middle of the Pacific where MacArthur and Truman met on October 15, 1950. Truman wanted to remind MacArthur of the importance of keeping the Korean conflict limited, and of the importance of ending the war as soon as possible. MacArthur thought Truman wanted to appear in pictures with him for political reasons, so he wore old clothes, didn't put on a tie, and refused to salute his President lest a photographer take a picture. The Wake Island meeting increased MacArthur's hatred for Truman. The meeting also suggested to the Chinese that the Americans were preparing a major operation, and perhaps attempting to reopen the Chinese Civil War. The meeting may have therefore inadvertently helped lead to Chinese involvement in the war.
