The Korean War: The United Nations Command

Figure 1.-- More than 20 countries participated in the United Nations effort to save South Korea. The United States carried the bulk of the effort, but the other participants made important contributions. Even Sweden with a long history of neutrality participated. The Swedish Red Cross Field Hospital was the formal name of the Swedish mission sent to Korea to address the humanitarian situation created by the Korean War. Following the Armistic ending the fighting (1953), Sweden played an important role in maintaining the Armistice through its involvemet in the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission. Here a Swedish doctor helps with an injured Korean child.

The United Nations placed the forces of member nations under U.S. command. The United States would provide the bulk of the forces resisting Communist aggression in Korea. There would, however, be some 20 U.N. member countries who would join the United States and South Korea in fighting off Communist aggression. The largest of these contributors was Britain. Other participating countries included: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey. Even neutral Sweden particiated, providing non-combatant forces. Taiwan did not participate because the United States had not yet made a commitment to the Nationalists and Nationalists participation would have only reignited the Chinese Civil War. Taiwan The Korean War like the Cold War in gerneral was a long effort involving many countries. The United States was the indispensablw country. Soviet aggression could not have been resisted without American involvement. But the support of the 20 countries that partici[pate was very important. Of course on the other hand, the Soviet Union was the indespenable country as well. Without the Soviets, there would have been no Cold War and no invasion of South Korea.

Created: 10:06 AM 12/1/2016
Last updated: 10:06 AM 12/1/2016