I’m reading about the United States entering the Korean War in 1950. Congress did not formally declare war, yet US forces took part in a major, prolonged conflict.
Accounts often mention both Truman’s authority as commander in chief and United Nations Security Council resolutions. I’m having trouble separating the international justification from the domestic constitutional argument.
Did UN authorization supply a legal basis under US law, or did Truman claim that his presidential powers were sufficient independently of it?
How did congressional funding and support fit into the debate over presidential war powers? I’m particularly interested in the arguments made in 1950, rather than explanations based on the War Powers Resolution adopted in 1973.
