My understanding of the US's move into the Korean peninsula following WW2 was the next agenda on the US Foreign Policy agenda: contain China.

After defeating Japan, the US forced Japan rebuilding itself as a US ally (true to this day). There's simply no better way to contain China than to have a military presence in neighboring Japan and a physical foothold on the Asian continent (in South Korea).

It makes sense, geographically, as does the US presence in the Middle East, which is a strategy to prevent Russian relations with Europe (which is also a US ally). Just look at a map.

The way I see it is like this: up until now US foreign policy has been dictated by the strategy of containing China and Russia, the only two potential threats to the US hegemony and our G1 world. In order to do this, the US leveraged its WW2 victory into Europe and Japan "allowing" the US military full autonomy in its lands. It is just like the board game risk! Also helps to ask yourself who in the world is accumulating gold (aka preparing for war).

It is very interesting that now, perhaps, the US is retreating back from the world police seen into a more protectionist state. Only time will tell. Great write ups @wisdomeandjustice! Always fascinates me how little the American public knows about the Korean War, and more broadly, any US conflict outside of the Revolutionary and WW2.