Korean War Watershed

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word “watershed” can be defined as “a time when an important change happens” (“Watershed”). The year 1950 can be considered a “watershed,” or turning point, in U.S. history. Many significant events happened during this year that changed the United States as a nation and had a profound impact on its future. Some of these events include the start of the Korean War, the beginning of “McCarthyism,” the beginning of the development of the hydrogen bomb, the development of the first major credit card company, and the first organ transplant. The invasion that started the Korean War was the first real action that was taken during the Cold War, which had been going on for three years by 1950 (“Korean War”). Although it started out as a civil war between North Korea and South Korea, the U.S. quickly joined to fight alongside South Korea in efforts to stop the spread of communism. The Korean War was a turning point in U.S history and in the Cold War. The U.S. had been engaged in the Cold War in order to fight and contain communism and took action for the first time in 1950 at the start of the Korean War. The Korean War was also significant because it continues to be relevant even today. According to CNN, “It's the war that never really ended” (Park). The U.S. still

On June 17, 1950, at Little Company of Mary Hospital, the very first semi-successful organ transplant was preformed (“First Successful Organ Transplant”). Ruth Tucker, who dealt with polycystic kidneys, was the recipient of this organ transplant (“First Successful Organ Transplant”). The surgery lacked standard anti-infection drugs and tissue typing but was still somewhat of a success for the brave doctors and patient (“First Successful Organ Transplant”). Shortly after the surgery, an article in Newsweek titled “Borrowed from the Dead” came out