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The [[Korean War]] began at the end of June 1950 when North Korea, a Communist country, invaded South Korea, which was under U.S.  protection. Without consulting Congress Truman ordered General [[Douglas MacArthur]] to use all American forces to resist the invasion. Truman then received approval from the United Nations, which the Soviets were boycotting. UN forces managed to cling to a toehold in Korea, as the North Koreans outran their supply system. A counterattack at Inchon destroyed the invasion army, and the UN forces captured most of North Korea on their way to the Yalu River, Korea's northern border with China. Truman defined the war goal as [[rollback]] of Communism and reunification of the country under UN auspices.<br />

The [[Korean War]] began at the end of June 1950 when North Korea, a Communist country, invaded South Korea, which was under U.S.  protection. Without consulting Congress Truman ordered General [[Douglas MacArthur]] to use all American forces to resist the invasion. Truman then received approval from the United Nations, which the Soviets were boycotting. UN forces managed to cling to a toehold in Korea, as the North Koreans outran their supply system. A counterattack at Inchon destroyed the invasion army, and the UN forces captured most of North Korea on their way to the Yalu River, Korea's northern border with China. Truman defined the war goal as [[rollback]] of Communism and reunification of the country under UN auspices.<br />

Contrary to some reports, this did not begin due to  U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson's speech to the National Press Club on January 12, 1950. He did not expressly exclude South Korea from the defense perimeter, but rather define more clearly what territories were the direct responsibility of the U.S. as opposed to those which were under the broader protection of the U.N. as a whole.<ref>https://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/korea/large/documents/pdfs/kr-3-13.pdf</ref> Omar Bradley blamed Truman and Acheson in his memoir ''A General's Life''.<ref>A General's Life, pg. 528</ref>

On January 12, 1950, Secretary of State [[Dean Acheson]] gave a speech to the National Press Club excluding South Korea from the defense perimeter, though Truman denies any wrongdoing on his behalf.<ref>https://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/korea/large/documents/pdfs/kr-3-13.pdf</ref> Omar Bradley blamed Truman and Acheson in his memoir ''A General's Life'', and historian Bill Shinn concurs.<ref>A General's Life by Omar N. Bradley, pg. 528</ref><ref>The Forgotten War Remembered, Korea: 1950-1953: A War Correspondent's Notebook & Today's Danger in Korea by Bill Shinn, pg. 52</ref>

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