Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

SOVIET

UNION

CHINA

305

North aNd south korea

Communist-ruled North korea and us-

supported south korea were divided at the

38th parallel of latitude after World War II.

Both North and south korea claimed possession

of the entire country, and their troops often

clashed at the border in the years leading up

to North korea’s invasion. No peace agreement

was negotiated after the war, and tensions

between the two nations continue to this day.

uNIted NatIoNs

the united Nations had only been in existence

for five years when the korean War began. the

organization chose to play a military role for

the first time in its history, presenting a major

challenge to its member nations.

GeNeral maCarthur

President truman named General

douglas macarthur as commander-in-

chief of the uN forces. however,

macarthur wanted to expand the war

and attack targets in China, so truman

removed him from command in 1951.

Korean War history

1950 North korean troops

invade south korea.

1950 uN enters the war.

1950 uN forces stop the

deepest North korean advance.

1950 allied troops land

behind enemy lines at Incheon.

1950 China enters the war

in support of North korea.

1951 seoul is captured by North

korean forces, then reoccupied

by uN forces; truce talks begin.

1952 uN plan rejected;

truce talks broken off.

1953 North korea accepts

uN plan; armistice agreement

ends the fighting.

War oN laNd

In the early stages of the war, the North korean

army easily advanced to the south korean port

of Busan, in the southeast of the country. But

uN forces surprised the North koreans with an

amphibious landing at Incheon in 1950. uN

troops advanced far into North korea, but after

China entered the war, they retreated south.

Korean

civilians flee

the fighting.

the humaN Cost

the korean War devastated the entire

country. more than a million south

korean civilians were killed and several

million more were made homeless. the

North koreans lost an estimated 1,600,000

troops, while 57,000 uN soldiers were killed.

despite these losses, korea remained a

divided country, with few political changes.

United

Nations

helmets

SOUTH

KOREA

JAPAN

38th parallel

Incheon

Busan

Pyongyang

Seoul

Armistice line, 1953

IN the mIdst of the Cold War, a “hot war” in korea

brought world superpowers head-to-head in a bloody conflict. on

June 25, 1950, 90,000 North korean troops, trained and armed by

the soviet union, poured over the border into south korea. the

united Nations (uN) demanded a withdrawal, but the fighting

continued. In its first military role, the uN sent troops from 16 of its

member nations, commanded and led by the united states, to fight

alongside the south korean army. China soon entered the war on

the North korean side. three years of brutal fighting ended with

an armistice agreement in 1953, but

despite the huge

loss of life, little

had changed.

United Nations troops

pose for a photo

at the 38th parallel.

Korean War

Communism

Cold war

korea

united nations

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NORTH

KOREA

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