On June 27, 1950, President Harry S. Truman (above) announced
that he is ordering U.S. air and naval forces to South Korea to
aid the democratic nation in repulsing an invasion by communist
North Korea. The United States was undertaking the major military
operation, he explained, to enforce a United Nations resolution
calling for an end to hostilities, and stop the spread of communism
in Asia. In addition to ordering U.S. forces to Korea, Truman also 
deployed the U.S. 7th Fleet to Formosa (Taiwan) to guard against
invasion by communist China and ordered an acceleration of
military aid to French forces fighting communist guerrillas in
Vietnam.

U.S. troops arrive at the dockside in Pusan, 6 August 1950.