The Korean War

In 1910 Japan had annexed Korea until War World II. When the Japanese troops north of Korea (North of the 38th parallel) surrendered to the Soviet Union and Japanese troops of the south surrendered to the United States. Therefore the south became Capitalist and North of Korea became communist.
Later on the US cut back on troops in South Korea. Consequently the Soviet Union concluded that the U.S. would not defend South Korea. Soviet Union then got North Korea prepared with tanks, airplanes, and money. With all that the Soviet Union attempted to takes over the entire peninsula. On June 25th, 1950 North Korea surprise attacked South Korea, which officially started the Korean War. South Korea asked United Nation to stop the invasion, when the matter came to a vote, Soviet Union wasn’t there for the Security Council meeting, therefore the vote passed.
Sixteen nations sent total of 520,000 troops and over ninety percent were American and South Korea had 590,000 troops. The combined forces were under the command of General Douglas MacArthur. North Korean had forced the UN and South Korean troops into a small defensive zone around Pusan in southeastern corner of the peninsula. MacArthur planned for a counterattack with tanks, heavy artillery, and fresh troops. On September 15th, 1950 his troops made a surprise attack behind enemy lines in Inchon. While other troops made north from Pusan, which trapped the North Korea troops between the attacking forces. About half of the North Korean troops surrendered, and the rest fled to the north. The UN army chased the retreating North Korean troops into North Korea. In late November, the UN troops approached the Yalu River, the boarder between North Korea and China. It seemed that Korea would be finally united again, however, the Chinese joined the battle. Communist China’s foreign minister, Zhou En-lai, warned that his country would not stand idly. The Chinese wanted North Korea as communist buffer state to protect their northeastern provinces that made up Manchuria. They also felt threatened by the American fleet that lain off their coast. The fight between North Korea and South Korea had escalated into a war in which the main opponents were China and America. China drove the UN troop southward and at some point at the battlefronts, the Chinese outnumbered UN forces in ration of ten to one.
Later on, in early January 1951, all the UN and South Korea had been pushed out of North Korea, and China advanced south and captured Seoul. Both sides were stuck in a bloody stalemate. In 1951, Mathew B. Ridgeway, who led the eighth army, took Seoul and moved back to the 38th parallel. On June 23rd, 1951 Soviet Union unexpectedly suggested a cease-fire. In July 1951 the truce talks began, first about the establishment of a demilitarized zone between the opposite sides, secondly about the location of the cease-fire line of the existing battle line. Another year was spent on the exchange of prisoners. Finally in 1953, the two signed an armistice, which ended the war, and that the agreement was a stalemate. The war cost total of 54,000 American lives and additionally $67 million in expenditures.
By Melody and Noa