The Fight Goes On

When American servicemen return home from the Second World War, they leave behind a world in ruins. But back stateside, they are greeted as heroes by a country virtually untouched by war. The nightmare appears to be over.

Little do they suspect that troops will soon be going back overseas, to fight again. This time, the Soviets will no longer be allies, but a deadly foe. The old 'hot' war is over, but a new 'Cold War’ is just beginning.

In the eyes of military planners, the Soviets are now the center of a suddenly Communist world, dangerous and spreading. China has just followed Russia down the communist path, and the rest of Asia may soon follow.

Cold War and Korea, 1950s map

  Korea and Communists
Just five years after the end of the Second World War, America is stunned to learn that communists have somehow managed to gain control of China. At the same time, communists supported by the Soviets are attempting to gain control the entire Korean peninsula, while communists in Vietnam supported by China are gradually pushing out the French.

Communism spreading, 1950 map

  New Threat
This is what Asia looks like to American military planners. The RED and ORANGE areas on the map, controlled by communist governments, are immense. Actually, far more than half of this communist zone is barely inhabited. Siberia, Mongolia and much of western China are nearly vacant. Even so, alarm bells are ringing all over Washington. The small BLUE area in South Korea indicates the tiny patch of non-communist Korea remaining before US forces arrive to push back.


Korean War, 1950-53 map

  Limits of Power
America's anti-communists juices are now in full flow. President Truman sends Americans into Korea, to prevent communists from taking control of the entire country. But after the Americans succeed in pushing the communists north, almost to the Chinese border, China suddenly feels compelled to intervene. It sends vast swarm of Chinese troops over the border to help expel the western 'imperialists.' After bitter fighting in difficult terrain, America is forced to settle for a stalemate, with borders unchanged.