Throughout the 1950s, no event captured the tension of the infamous Cold War more than the Korean War. Fought to prevent the spread of communism in Korea, the Korean War was a courageous political victory for the United States because America sent a clear message to the entire world, as the first military action of the Cold War, that the spread of communism would not it will be tolerated by the strongest army in the world, the United States. Additionally, the Korean War was an economic boon to the United States due to increased military spending and preserved the freedom of the South Korean people. However, the Korean War is often labeled the “forgotten war” due to the United States' failure to eliminate communism in Korea and its end in stalemate. Indeed, the Korean War was a military, political, and economic victory because it demonstrated to the world that the United States would take a militant stance against the spread of communism, preserve the freedom of the South Korean people, and produce an economic boom fueled by rising military spending. Before World War II, Korea was controlled by Japan following its victory in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 (“Korean War”). After the collapse of Japan in 1945, Russia and the United States agreed to divide Korea into two parts. The result was that the southern half went to the United States and the northern half went to the Soviets with the 38th parallel bisecting the peninsula evenly and leaving the capital, Seoul, to the Americans (“Korean War”). This was only supposed to be a temporary solution until a new government was created, but the Soviets sealed off their territory and instilled communist ideals. Or......half of the paper......ntext. Network. April 10, 2014. Primary Source "The Korean War." Primary sources of the American decades. Ed. Cinzia Rosa. vol. 6: 1950-1959. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 213-218. US history in context. Network. April 10, 2014. Primary Source “Korean War.” The Cold War--1945-1991. Gale, 1992. World History in Context. Network. April 10, 2014. "Korean War." Europe since 1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction. Ed. John Merriman and Jay Winter. vol. 3. Detroit: Sons of Charles Scribner, 2006. 1581-1584. World history in context. Network. April 10, 2014. “Korean War (1950-1953).” Gale Encyclopedia of United States History: War. vol. 2. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2008. Global Issues in Context. Network. April 10, 2014. Pach, Chester J., Jr. “Korea, Impact of.” Americans at war. Ed. John P. Resch. vol. 4: 1946-Present. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 103-105. US history in context. Network. April 10. 2014.