The Korean War (1950–1953) was a conflict between North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and South Korea, supported by the United Nations, principally the United States. It began on June 25, 1950, when North Korean forces invaded South Korea by crossing the 38th parallel, aiming to unify the peninsula under communist rule
Key Events and Course of the War
- Initial Invasion and Early Fighting : North Korean troops, equipped and trained by the Soviets, launched a surprise attack along the 38th parallel, quickly overwhelming South Korean forces, which lacked heavy weapons and tanks. Seoul fell within days, and the South Korean army was drastically reduced in size
- UN and US Involvement : The United Nations Security Council condemned the invasion and authorized a military response, with the US providing about 90% of the UN forces. The US and allied troops helped stabilize the front at the Pusan Perimeter in the southeast, holding off North Korean advances
- Inchon Landing : In September 1950, UN forces executed a successful amphibious landing at Inchon, which turned the tide by cutting North Korean supply lines and allowing UN forces to recapture Seoul and push northward beyond the 38th parallel
- Chinese Intervention : As UN forces approached the Chinese border, China entered the war in support of North Korea, launching a massive counteroffensive that pushed UN troops back south
- Stalemate and Armistice : After back-and-forth fighting, the war settled into a stalemate near the original dividing line. Ceasefire negotiations began but dragged on for two years. The fighting ended with an armistice signed on July 27, 1953, but no formal peace treaty was ever concluded, leaving the Korean Peninsula technically still at war
Impact and Casualties
The war was exceptionally bloody, resulting in about 3 million deaths and widespread destruction, especially in North Korea, which was heavily bombed and saw most of its major cities destroyed. Both sides suffered massive military and civilian casualties
. In summary, the Korean War was a brutal Cold War proxy conflict that began with North Korea's invasion of the South, escalated with international intervention, and ended in an armistice that left Korea divided along roughly the same boundary as before the war
