Korean War
After WWII, Korea was divided along the 38th parallel because it prevented the United States and the Soviet Union from clashing over the land. Another reason it was divided there was because the Russians did not want to have to pull back from the land they had taken and the U.S. wanted Seoul to be under their control. The newly formed nations of North Korea and South Korea were very different. North Korea was a Dictator ship and had a command economy, which is an economy in which production, investment prices, and incomes are determined centrally by a government. South Korea, on the other hand, was a Democracy with a free market economy, which is a market economy based on supply and demand with little or no government control. A short while later, on July 25th, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea in an attempt to unify the two. The Soviet Union provided money, troops, and war support to the North Korean armies. Soon, the North Koreans pushed into South Korea, greatly surprising the South Korean army and the small U.S. forces stationed there at the time. The North Korean armies were quickly heading toward the capital, Seoul. The United States responded to these actions by pushing a resolution through the U.N.’s Security Council calling for military assistance to South Korea.
By September 1950, however, the North Koreans had already pushed all the way down to the bottom of South Korea, leaving only a tiny space around the Pusan Peninsula free from their control. The tide of the war soon changed as the United States sent in more aid to South Korea, pushing the North Koreans back to the 38th parallel. This is where president Harry S. Truman orders the American men to stop, but General Douglas MacArthur ignores him and continues pushing forward, almost completely invading North Korea. Once China saw this oncoming attack they sent in 300,000 troops to North Korea to help ward it off. These early aggressions were the start of the Korean Conflict.
One of the first battles of the Korean War was the battle of the Pusan Perimeter. This was a battle between United Nations and North Korean forces that started on August 4, 1950 and ended on September 18th, 1950. With 140,000 UN troops up against 98,000 North Koreans, the back and forth battle finally ended with a UN victory after about 6 weeks. Another major battle, the battle of Inchon, took place from September 15th, 1960 to September 19th, 1950. It was a counter attack by the UN on North Korea which led to the recapture of the South Korean capital, Seoul. The UN victory also slightly cut off North Korean supply lines. The large city of Incheon had been left undefended and was easily secured after being bombed by the UN forces. This battle was significant because it ended a string of victories by the invading North Korean forces. Less than a year after this attack, UN forces launched another counter attack known as Operation Killer. This was the second major counter attack by the UN forces and it began on February 20th 1951 and ended on March 6th, 1951. The goal of this counter attack was to wipe out enemy forces. Unfortunately, the opposing team had already begun to withdraw their troops so there was little to no resistance in the areas that were invaded. With the way Operation Killer ended, it was soon decided that new operation would be set in place until victory was achieved.
After a great number of see-saw battles, in July of 1953, an armistice was signed and the 38th parallel was reestablished. Today, North Korea continues to be under the control of a Dictatorship and South Korea is a Democratic Nation.
By September 1950, however, the North Koreans had already pushed all the way down to the bottom of South Korea, leaving only a tiny space around the Pusan Peninsula free from their control. The tide of the war soon changed as the United States sent in more aid to South Korea, pushing the North Koreans back to the 38th parallel. This is where president Harry S. Truman orders the American men to stop, but General Douglas MacArthur ignores him and continues pushing forward, almost completely invading North Korea. Once China saw this oncoming attack they sent in 300,000 troops to North Korea to help ward it off. These early aggressions were the start of the Korean Conflict.
One of the first battles of the Korean War was the battle of the Pusan Perimeter. This was a battle between United Nations and North Korean forces that started on August 4, 1950 and ended on September 18th, 1950. With 140,000 UN troops up against 98,000 North Koreans, the back and forth battle finally ended with a UN victory after about 6 weeks. Another major battle, the battle of Inchon, took place from September 15th, 1960 to September 19th, 1950. It was a counter attack by the UN on North Korea which led to the recapture of the South Korean capital, Seoul. The UN victory also slightly cut off North Korean supply lines. The large city of Incheon had been left undefended and was easily secured after being bombed by the UN forces. This battle was significant because it ended a string of victories by the invading North Korean forces. Less than a year after this attack, UN forces launched another counter attack known as Operation Killer. This was the second major counter attack by the UN forces and it began on February 20th 1951 and ended on March 6th, 1951. The goal of this counter attack was to wipe out enemy forces. Unfortunately, the opposing team had already begun to withdraw their troops so there was little to no resistance in the areas that were invaded. With the way Operation Killer ended, it was soon decided that new operation would be set in place until victory was achieved.
After a great number of see-saw battles, in July of 1953, an armistice was signed and the 38th parallel was reestablished. Today, North Korea continues to be under the control of a Dictatorship and South Korea is a Democratic Nation.