Abstract
Often overshadowed by the U.S. involvement in the Korean War (1950-53), a sizable number of European countries had also contributed their combat troops to the UN efforts to defend South Korea against the Communist North. The decisions were not easy for these European governments, which had to overcome steep domestic opposition before the dispatch. This paper analyzes the reasons and strategic considerations for European involvement in the Korean War and demonstrates that the decisions were made for the following reasons: First, the European decisions were made pursuant to the UN resolutions of June 27 and July 7, 1950, which recommended international assistance to South Korea. Second, Europeans misunderstood the nature of the War-that is to say in their perception, the troops were sent to fight Stalin's war rather than that of Kim Il Sung's. Third, Western Europeans wanted to ride alongside the United States, while hoping that they would be able to secure some influence on U.S. foreign policy as junior partners in the new Cold War international order (a tail-wag-the-dog strategy). The UK decision, in particular, was made in view of the special relationship with the United States. Fourth, some European colonial powers, such as the UK, France and the Netherlands, took into consideration their colonial interests in East Asia, which might be threatened by the communist expansion in the region. Fifth, some east Mediterranean countries, such as Greece and Turkey, were motivated by their desire to join the West through NATO membership.