Abstract In this essay, we discuss the Battle of Inchon, also known as Operation Chromite. This battle was a pivotal part of the Korean War, because winning it was necessary if the United Nations wanted the ability to land troops and recapture South Korea.  After reading this article, you will have a better idea of how the Battle of Inchon helped change the direction of the war.  It will start with an overview of the Korean War, before delving specifically into the Battle, itself.  In addition to providing historical information about the Korean War and the Battle of Inchon, this article can also be used as a template for a properly written academic essay.  The article will be written in a modified essay structure, and you will find: an introduction, a hook a thesis statement, a structured body with evidence and analysis of the evidence, a conclusion, and a reference section.  The article with use sources, and each source used will be properly cited within the body of the essay and listed correctly in a references/ work cited/ bibliography section.  Therefore, the essay serves two purposes: informing you about the topic and providing an example for an academic essay.  

The Real Life Story of Operation Chromite

The Battle of Inchon

Amphibious Battles in the Korean War

General MacArthur’s Ingenious Plan to Win the Korean War

Outline

I. Introduction

II. Body

A. Factors that led to the Korean War

B. The Cold War

C. Overview of the Korean War

D. The Battle of Inchon

E. Results of the Battle of Inchon

III. Conclusion 

Introduction

Although the Korean War does not get as modern day press coverage as the Great War (World War II) or the highly controversial Vietnam War, it played an important role, not only in American military history, but also in helping shape the face of modern global politics.  The Korean War was one of a number of Cold War era conflicts, in which the United States, along with several allies, attempted to stop the spread of communism around the globe.  The spread of communism was an effort spearheaded by the Soviet Union and its allies.  The Korean War, like many of these other conflicts, was, in many ways, a proxy war.  The United States and the Soviet Union were hesitant to attack one another or start a major conflict between the countries.  Therefore, instead of directly attacking one another, they played major roles in wars that were fought in other countries.  While this had a devastating impact on the people of those countries, and minimized civilian casualties in the United States and the U.S.S.R., it did not eliminate harm for Americans.  On the contrary, the majority of United Nations and other troops that went to fight for the side of the United States in these proxy wars came from the United States.  Many of the military leaders in these conflicts were also American, such as General Douglas MacArthur, the five-star American general who led U.S. troops in the Pacific theater in World War II and later led troops in the Korean War.  This led to the United States having a significant amount of influence over the events of the war.  This influence became very important in September of 1950, when the United Nations Command needed to recapture the South Korean capital of Seoul.  To do this, they had to be able to land troops on the ground, which required first winning an amphibious battle against the Korean People’s Army.  The amphibious...

ious battle and the resulting landing of ground troops are collectively referred to as the Battle of Inchon, and also by the name Operation Chromite.    
Essay Hook

Without a successful resolution in favor of United Nations Command in Operation Chromite, it is unlikely that the UNC would have recaptured Seoul in 1950, which may have impacted the outcome of the Korean War.   

Thesis Statement

As a result, it is clear that the Battle of Inchon was one of the most important battles in the entire Korean War.  

Body

Factors that Led to the Korean War

In order to understand the Korean War, one must first have a broader understanding of the global geo-political landscape at the time of that war.  While the United States and the Soviet Union were allies in World War II, the two super powers were very far apart ideologically.  The United States was built on a principle of capitalism, which meant individual control of resources and the means of production, with most people being workers who were paid for their work.  The Soviet Union, which was created as the result of a social revolution, rejected the principles of capitalism, in favor of communism.  Communism is a political system that rejects the idea of private ownership, and believes that workers should be paid, not only on the basis of the work that they provide, but also based on individual need.  In the time period following World War II, both the United States and the Soviet Union were intent on spreading their competing ideologies around the globe.  This conflict between the two superpowers is referred to as the Cold War. 

However, the Cold War alone did not make the Korean War possible.  Instead, one must look at how the Allies split control of Axis territories following World War II.  The United States and the Soviet Union were already very concerned about either superpower gaining too much territory in any part of the United States.  Therefore, in the countries that the Allied powers felt required a continuous military presence or foreign control after the end of World War II, there was an attempt to balance who was in control of those countries.  This was true for much of the Pacific theater because...…period of negotiations.  These negotiations lasted more than two years.  On July 27, 1953, the two countries signed an armistice agreement.  While this armistice agreement resulted in additional territory for South Korea and the creation of a demilitarized zone between the two countries, there was no decisive winner of the Korean War.  

Conclusion

There is no question that General MacArthur’s controversial Operation Chromite was a military success.  It resulted in the liberation of Seoul and put American troops in place to continue north through North Korea, positioning them to liberate North Korea from communism.  However, it did not herald the end of the war or usher in a new period of American dominance in the Korean theater, because of concerns that President Truman had about Chinese threats if American troops came too close to the Chinese border.  Ultimately, Truman disagreed with MacArthur’s assessment of the necessity of another large world war, and fired MacArthur and began peace negotiations.  While the process took a long time, it was ultimately successful, though there would be more proxy wars, skirmishes, and political wrangling from both the United States and the Soviet Union before the end of the Cold War.