Introduction

This lesson was developed as part of an Adventure of the American Mind Northern Virginia Partnership (AAMNVA), a federally funded professional development program to assist educators in using Library of Congress primary resources to support student learning.

In this lesson, students will not only learn about a specific time during the early years of the Cold War (Korean Conflict), but they will weigh information from both sides of the containment debate between Truman and MacArthur, and analyze the very difficult process of presidential decision-making.

Unit Title: Cold War—Unit X

Enduring Understanding: Changes that occur as a result of global action are different from those that occur as a result of a single nation’s actions.

Conceptual Unit Question:    Was President Truman’s decision to fire General Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War justified? 

Key Concepts:  containment policy, domino theory, United Nations, Truman Doctrine, President Harry Truman, General Douglas MacArthur, Mao Zedong, 38th Parallel, civilian authority, military authority, capitalism, communism, democracy