Korean War

The Korean War was fought between North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and South Korea, supported by the United Nations with principal support from the United States. Korea had been divided into two sovereign states in 1948, with North Korea established as a socialist state under communist leadership and South Korea as a capitalist state, and both claimed to be the sole legitimate government of all Korea while rejecting the border as permanent. After a series of border clashes, North Korea invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950, abandoning subversion for open attack. The United States viewed the invasion as communist aggression that could not go unchallenged, sought United Nations support, and, after an emergency Security Council session from which the Soviets stormed out, the United States, the United Nations, and 16 member nations came to South Korea’s aid. On June 27, 1950, the United States joined the war, and on September 15 United States and United Nations forces led an amphibious invasion at Inchon that regained much of South Korea. After United States and United Nations advances north near the Chinese border, China entered the war in October. Peace talks began on 1 February 1951 after United States and United Nations troops retreated to the South, but fighting continued for two more years. On 27 July 1953, North Korea and South Korea agreed to an armistice and created the Korean Demilitarized Zone, which separated North and South Korea and allowed the return of prisoners. No peace treaty was signed, and the two Koreas are technically still at war.

Whitehouse, Ohio · United States