The Korean War began with an invasion of South Korea by North Korea in 1950. North Korea was backed by the Soviet Union and China. South Korea was backed by the United Nations Command which was led by the United States.
The end of World War II saw the liberation of Korea as a Japanese colony. It was then divided into a North and South by the Soviet Union and the US. This division inevitably turned into a division of government.
Seoul’s leadership in the south began to persecute communists. This caused Pyongyang’s leadership in the north to initiate an invasion. This became devastating for the south.
The UN forces provided most of the military power for the south. Nearing defeat, the UN troops were able to infiltrate the north and cut off supply lines and troops.
The fighting went back and forth for three years. In 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement was reached and signed. This ended the fighting and the trade of prisoners began.
However, over these three years, many families were split up, displaced, and killed. Over 3 million people were killed during this war, a huge portion being civilians. Korea became one of the most heavily bombed countries in history, and virtually all large cities were destroyed.
No agreement has yet been reached. No treaty was signed to officially end the war. This is now referred to as a frozen conflict. Let’s take a closer look at what it was like in the midst of the fighting.
1950, during the Inchon invasionTrains in North Korea were targets of attack by U.S. and other U.N. forcesLt. R. P. Yeatman, from the USS Bon Homme Richard, is shown rocketing and bombing Korean bridge. November 1952. (Navy)United Nations troops fighting in the streets of Seoul, Korea1st Marine Division moves through communist Chinese linesMembers of the Colorado Air National Guard’s 120th Fighter Squadron are mobilized on April 1, 1951Korean girl tiredly trudges by a stalled M-46 tank, at Haengju, Korea with her brother on her backThe People’s Volunteer Army disembarks on a western Korean island under the cover of artillery and machine guns, c. 1951American soldiers in combat. 1950Korean People’s Army assaults and captures a strategic height and forces the enemy to surrender, 1950The People’s Volunteer Army helps the family of a soldier of the Korean People’s Army repair the roof of their cottage, c. 1951North Korean targets are being attacked by the United States Air ForceNorth Korean soldiers stage a battle drill. Refugees on the road between Gimhae and MasanA M-20 75mm recoilless rifle is fired during the Korean War.A U.S. Marine with North Korean prisoners of war in Korea in 1953. Rescuing wounded soldiers during combatNorth Korean fighters destroyed a C-54Soldiers returning from sniper patrolKoreans join the North Korean volunteer army, 1950A Royal Artillery 25-pounder field gun in action in Korea, 1951 (c)Roll call of survivors of the Gloucestershire Regiment after the Battle of Imjin River, 1951A tank crew from the 8th (King’s Royal Irish) Hussars make a mealKorean People’s Navy unit stands in formation, 1950Korean People’s Army Ground Force unit stands in formation, 1950Two soldiers at a well, Korea, 1950 (c) A field hospital near the “Iron Triangle” during the Korean WarKorean(s) killed and thrown into the sea by US and South Korean forces, 1950
