OSHER 365 - Korean War History

What events in Korea's history led to the Korean War? We will explore the concept of the Hermit Kingdom, two wars fought on Korean soil (the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars), Japan's annexation of Korea, the division of Korea at the end of the Second World War, and Korea's role in the Cold War immediately following World War II. The course will then focus in depth on the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, and will concentrate on battles, truce negotiations, and personalities and politics involved in the hot war. The course will conclude with an appraisal of the ongoing tensions on the Korean peninsula.