The Korean War
The Land of the Morning Calm
A Short History of the Korean War
James Stokesbury
1. Describe the location, dimensions and shape of the Korean peninsula. • The Korean peninsula stretches for almost 600 miles long. While the width varies, it ranges from about 90-200 miles. The total area is about 85,000 square miles. The shape of the peninsula resembles an elongated New Jersey.
2. What two rivers form the northern, land boundary of Korea? • Yalu River (between North Korea and Manchuria) • Tumen River (boundary for Manchuria)
3. What is the major topographical feature of the Korean peninsula? How does it affect transportation and communication? • Taebaek Range of mountains
4. What two seas does Korea separate? What three great powers of East Asia are its neighbors? • It separates the Sea of Japan from the Yellow Sea • Its neighbors are Japan (to the east), Russia (northeast), and China (north west)
5. Describe communications and transportation in Korea in 1950. • Communications were sparse • Transportation: o South Korea: had a double-track rail line from Seoul to Pusan o North Korea: many single-track rail lines
6. How was the population of Korea divided between North and South Korea in 1950? • North Korea had about 60% of the peninsula but only 1/3 of the population (9 million) • South Korea had about 21 million people and only about 40% of the land
7. How were North and South Korea different industrially and agriculturally? • North had most of the minerals, electric power, and most of the heavy industry • South was largely agricultural
8. Describe the climate of Korea. • Summer: many monsoons, hot, rainless, and humid • Winters: very harsh cold winds, frostbite
9. What was the effect on Korea of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95 and the Treaty of Shimonoseki? • Recognized the independence of
A Short History of the Korean War
James Stokesbury
1. Describe the location, dimensions and shape of the Korean peninsula. • The Korean peninsula stretches for almost 600 miles long. While the width varies, it ranges from about 90-200 miles. The total area is about 85,000 square miles. The shape of the peninsula resembles an elongated New Jersey.
2. What two rivers form the northern, land boundary of Korea? • Yalu River (between North Korea and Manchuria) • Tumen River (boundary for Manchuria)
3. What is the major topographical feature of the Korean peninsula? How does it affect transportation and communication? • Taebaek Range of mountains
4. What two seas does Korea separate? What three great powers of East Asia are its neighbors? • It separates the Sea of Japan from the Yellow Sea • Its neighbors are Japan (to the east), Russia (northeast), and China (north west)
5. Describe communications and transportation in Korea in 1950. • Communications were sparse • Transportation: o South Korea: had a double-track rail line from Seoul to Pusan o North Korea: many single-track rail lines
6. How was the population of Korea divided between North and South Korea in 1950? • North Korea had about 60% of the peninsula but only 1/3 of the population (9 million) • South Korea had about 21 million people and only about 40% of the land
7. How were North and South Korea different industrially and agriculturally? • North had most of the minerals, electric power, and most of the heavy industry • South was largely agricultural
8. Describe the climate of Korea. • Summer: many monsoons, hot, rainless, and humid • Winters: very harsh cold winds, frostbite
9. What was the effect on Korea of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95 and the Treaty of Shimonoseki? • Recognized the independence of