Summary
Highlights
After WWII in 1945, Korea was freed from Japanese control and divided at the 38th Parallel. North Korea, led by Kim-il Sung, became communist, while South Korea, led by Syngman Rheea, became capitalist. Both Soviet and U.S. troops withdrew by 1949, leaving the two Koreas as enemies unwilling to accept their border.
On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, capturing Seoul and most of the South, except for Pusan. President Truman intervened to contain communism, and the United Nations Security Council approved an international force of 16 nations (mainly American) led by General MacArthur to aid South Korea. The Soviet Union did not veto the resolution due to its boycott of the council over China's representation.
UN troops initially faced heavy resistance but, after reinforcements, launched an amphibious assault at Inchon on September 15, pushing North Korean forces back across the 38th Parallel and recapturing Seoul. MacArthur then advanced into North Korea, capturing Pyongyang and reaching the Yalu River, bordering China. China retaliated by sending 250,000 troops, overwhelming UN forces and pushing them out of North Korea, recapturing Seoul by January 1951.
General MacArthur was dismissed by President Truman for advocating the use of atomic bombs on China, and the U.S. reverted to a policy of containment. More UN troops stabilized the front at the 38th Parallel by June 1951, leading to a stalemate. Peace talks began in July but without immediate resolution, while fighting continued with American and Soviet pilots engaging in air combat. Dwight D. Eisenhower became president in 1953 and, after two years of negotiations, an armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, at P’anmunjŏm, establishing a demilitarized zone that remains to this day.