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- Pre-War (1945-1950)>
- The War (1950-1953)>
- North Korea Invades the South (1950)
- The U.N. Intervenes (1950)
- Landing at Inchon/Defense of Pusan (1950)
- China Enters War (1950)
- Operation Piledriver (1951)
- The Relief of MacArthur (1951)
- Racial Intergration Inside Forces (1951-1954)
- U.S. Air Force Attacks North Korea (1952)
- Eisenhower Enters Office (1953)
- The Battle of Pork Chop Hill (1953)
- North Korea Invades the South (1950)
- The War is Over!>
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- Characteristics of the War
- After the War...
the Korean War Homepage
The Korean War, also known as the Forgotten War and the Unknown War, took place from 1950-1953. It is called the Forgotten War and the Unknown War because it was chronologically sandwiched between World War II and the Vietnam War, which was America's longest war. Unlike World War Two where the U.S. was helping to stop the Nazi regime, and Vietnam War when the U.S. was preventing Eisenhower’s Domino Theory, the Korean War was primarily aimed at containing communism to north of the 38th parallel; a boundary that was established by the Soviet Union and the United States after World War II. When the Korean War ended in 1953, the boundaries were exactly the same as they had been prior to North Korea's invasion of South Korea. Therefore, it is easy to see the Korean War as a conflict without a goal or a resolution.
The Korean War was the first armed conflict of the Cold War. The war began with a surprise attack by the North Koreans into South Korea in 1950. The United States led a United Nations force under General Douglas MacArthur in response. Eventually the communist Chinese got involved in support of the North Koreans. General MacArthur landed in Inchon on September 15, 1950 and the U.S. under MacArthur considered an invasion of China but Truman banned the idea and replaced MacArthur with Mathew Ridgway. Armistice negotiations began in July of 1951 and did not end until July 27, 1953. 550,000 United Nations soldiers and 1.5 million North Koreans and Chinese lost their lives.
The Korean War was the first armed conflict of the Cold War. The war began with a surprise attack by the North Koreans into South Korea in 1950. The United States led a United Nations force under General Douglas MacArthur in response. Eventually the communist Chinese got involved in support of the North Koreans. General MacArthur landed in Inchon on September 15, 1950 and the U.S. under MacArthur considered an invasion of China but Truman banned the idea and replaced MacArthur with Mathew Ridgway. Armistice negotiations began in July of 1951 and did not end until July 27, 1953. 550,000 United Nations soldiers and 1.5 million North Koreans and Chinese lost their lives.