Korea 1950-1953

Before the Second World War Korea was a colony of Japan. Japan was defeated and Korea was divided into North and South Korea  along  the  38th    parallel. The North was communist and the South was under the influence of the USA and had an anti- communist dictatorship.

Communist North Korea went to war  with  South  Korea  in  order to reunite the country. The USA and the Western powers intervened on behalf of the United Nations to stop the spread of communism and sent North Koreans back North of the 38th  parallel.

• President Truman allowed General MacArthur (UN Commander) to invade North  Korea.  This  worried  China,  because  they  were  afraid  of  a  Western invasion. China attacked the UN forces, capturing Seoul (the capital of South Korea).
• MacArthur wanted to attack China but Truman disagreed and MacArthur was dismissed.
• Truman looked for peace and a cease-fire was agreed on in 1953.
• Korea remained as it was before the war but more than two million people died.