The Korean War was a conflict that took place from 1950 to 1953 on the Korean Peninsula. It began when North Korea, supported by the Soviet Union and China, invaded South Korea, which was backed by the United States and other United Nations member states.The war began on June 25, 1950, when North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel, the border between North and South Korea. The invasion caught the international community by surprise, and the United Nations Security Council quickly passed a resolution condemning the aggression and calling for a withdrawal of North Korean forces.The United States, under the leadership of President Harry S. Truman, took the lead in assembling a United Nations coalition to support South Korea. The coalition forces, primarily composed of U.S. troops, quickly intervened to defend South Korea. General Douglas MacArthur commanded the UN forces.Initially, North Korean forces made significant advances and captured Seoul, the capital of South Korea. However, the UN forces, through a series of amphibious landings and counteroffensives, were able to push the North Korean forces back. In September 1950, UN troops crossed the 38th parallel and pushed into North Korea.However, China, fearing a UN presence near its border, intervened in the war in October 1950. Chinese forces launched a massive offensive and pushed the UN forces back, resulting in a prolonged period of intense fighting and stalemate along the 38th parallel.The war continued with brutal trench warfare and heavy casualties on both sides. Negotiations to end the conflict began in 1951, but the fighting continued until July 1953 when an armistice agreement was signed. The armistice established a demilitarized zone (DMZ) along the 38th parallel, which continues to separate North and South Korea to this day.The Korean War resulted in a significant loss of life and had a devastating impact on the Korean Peninsula. Estimates suggest that millions of soldiers and civilians were killed, and the country's infrastructure was severely damaged. Families were separated, and the division between North and South Korea became entrenched.The war also had wider geopolitical implications. It solidified the division of the Korean Peninsula into two separate countries: the communist North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and the non-communist South Korea, supported by the United States and its allies. The conflict was seen as a proxy war between the East and West during the larger context of the Cold War.The Korean War remains a significant and unresolved conflict, as a formal peace treaty was never signed, and tensions between North and South Korea persist. Efforts to achieve a lasting peace and reunification continue, but they face significant challenges and complexities.
Measures 30 x 40.