Key Events of the Korean War

What happened in the Korean War?

The fighting in Korea took place in mountains, ravines and swamps - terrain that was more familiar to the Koreans and Chinese than the UN. They also had to contend with terrible cold and snowstorms in winter.

What were the main events of the Korean War?

The Korean War progressed in a number of stages:

• ❖ Between September and October 1950, the UN was successful in pushing North Korean troops back out of South Korea.
• ❖ Between October and November 1950, the UN troops crossed over the 38th parallel and pushed the North Korean troops north in an attempt to defeat the communists and reunite the country.
• ❖ Between November 1950 and January 1951, Chinese forces launched a counteroffensive and pushed the UN troops back past the 38th parallel.
• ❖ The UN counter-attacked between January and July 1951 and retook Seoul.
• ❖ The war then settled into a stalemate which lasted for two years, from July 1951 to July 1953.

How successful was the UN in Korea?

In the initial stages of their involvement, UN troops were successful in pushing back the North Korean troops.

• ❖ Some UN troops joined the South Korean forces in Pusan and pushed past the Pusan perimeter.
• ❖ Others, led by General MacArthur, invaded behind the communist lines at Inchon.
• ❖ Seoul was liberated from the communists and North Korean troops were pushed back to the 38th parallel.

Why did the UN invade North Korea?

From October 1950, after UN troops had liberated South Korea, they began to invade North Korea.

• ❖ The UN troops crossed the 38th parallel in an attempt to achieve the UN objective of a 'unified, independent and democratic government' for all of Korea.
• ❖ Pyongyang was captured on 19th October.
• ❖ By November, some American forces had reached the Yalu River on the border with China.

How did China get involved in the Korean War?

There were four key events:

• ❖ As UN troops approached its borders, China feared an invasion of its territory and launched a huge counter-attack of 200,000 soldiers.
• ❖ UN forces were driven south, back over the 38th parallel.
• ❖ Seoul was recaptured by communist forces.
• ❖ The UN forces eventually stabilised around the 37th parallel.

How did the UN react to the Chinese invasion of Korea?

In January 1951 the UN counter-attacked the Chinese and North Korean forces, pushing them back to the 38th parallel and retaking Seoul.

What was the stalemate in the Korean War?

Between July 1951 and July 1953, while negotiations were ongoing, fighting continued along a fortified frontier near the 39th parallel. This cost many lives but gained little territory.

Tell me about the Armistice of the Korean War

In July 1953 an armistice was signed that agreed a border very similar to that of the 38th parallel. This was for a number of reasons.

• ❖ Eisenhower had replaced Truman as president and was keen to end the war.
• ❖ Stalin's death in 1953 made China and North Korea less confident.

How many people were killed in the Korean War?

There were a number of costs to the Korean War:

• ❖ 30,000 American troops were killed.
• ❖ 4,500 UN troops from other countries were killed.
• ❖ Approximately 70,000 South Korean soldiers died.
• ❖ About 500,000 South Korean civilians were killed.
• ❖ An estimated 780,000 North Korean and Chinese soldiers and civilians died in the war.

What was the fighting like in Korea?

The fighting in Korea took place in mountains, ravines and swamps - terrain that was more familiar to the Koreans and Chinese than the UN. They also had to contend with terrible cold and snowstorms in winter.