At the end of World War II, Korea—occupied during the war by
Japanese forces—is divided at the 38th Parallel, and two new
states are established. North Korea is run by Communist Kim Il-
Sung, while South Korea is run by anticommunist autocrat Syngman
Rhee. The "Big Three" allied leaders—American president Franklin
Roosevelt, Soviet leader Josef Stalin, and British Prime
Minister Winston Churchill—meet at the Yalta Conference to make
arrangements for the postwar world order. Their contradictory
agreements include a declaration to respect democracy throughout
Europe, but also the recognition of a de facto Soviet sphere of
influence in Eastern Europe. At Yalta the Allies also finalize
plans to divide Germany into separate zones of occupation.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt suddenly suffers a cerebral
hemorrhage and dies, leaving his vice president, Harry Truman,
to assume the presidency. Truman has only been vice president
for 82 days, and has had little communication with Roosevelt
about the administration's po