By the end of the 19th century, the more powerful nations were jostling to increase their sphere of influence in a world which was becoming smaller. The major powers tried to assess which part of the world benefited them in trade and essential resources. The imperial powers were also eyeing colonial possessions. In the meantime, Korea was caught in the conflict between Japan, China, and Russia, as each country tried to make it their colony.
When Japan introduced a modern Navy and Army, it was speculated that it would most likely attack Korea for its agricultural and industrial benefits. As China suffered a major defeat in the Sino-Japanese War, it couldn’t offer any support or resistance against the Japanese in Korea. Japan succeeded in establishing its influence after the Russo-Japanese War.
From 1910 onwards, Japan had complete control over Korea and even named it Chosen. Japanese occupied Korea until the Second World War ended in 1945 when they were finally defeated. The Soviet invasion of Manchuria began on August 9th, 1945. Manchuria was devastated and occupied by Soviet forces without any military resistance.
While China was toiling with the political state in the country, the Civil War between the Nationalist party and the governing political party of the Republic of China was gaining momentum. After 4 years of massive fighting, the Nationalist party was finally beaten along the Huai River by the Communists. On October 1st, 1949, the People’s Republic of China was founded.
Simultaneously, North Korea invaded South Korea in a surprise military maneuver. The United Nations quickly intervened to reverse the situation. The Chinese in South Korea could not bear the invasion of North Korea so they immediately launched an offensive towards the UN forces. The continued battle ended with 16,000 UN, 520,000 North Korean soldiers, 415,000 South Korean, and 33,600 American soldiers dead.
After the Second World War ended, the United States had started assessing its Asian interests. A proposition was conveyed to Kremlin, about dividing the Korean peninsula into two halves, out of which one half would belong to the United States and the other to the USSR. The 38th parallel was drawn where the Soviet Union got the control of Korea towards the north of this line, and the United States got the control over the southern region.
The Korean War escalated after the Battle of Pusan Perimeter began, and it ended with the landings in Inchon. The battle of Inchon started in September, 1950 and ended on the 17th of that month. South Korean and UN forces joined hands and the city of Inchon was bombed. It was an amphibious attack led by the General Douglas MacArthur.
In January 1948, the UN called for elections in both South and North Korea. The idea was rejected completely by the Soviet Union. Elections were eventually conducted only in South Korea. Finally the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was created in Pyongyang.
On November 1st, thousands of Chinese attacked from the west, north, and northwest against the South Korean and the US forces bulldozing their way deep into North Korea. In no time, the attack resulted in the collapse of ROK 15th Regiment and the other two Cavalry regiments also fell apart. The Chinese were finally ousted.
After the Second World War, the US created and maintained atomic weapons such as Napalm bombs and others. The US nuclear and air power strategy started to shape the national security policies of North Korea since the Korean War. The fighting around the 38th parallel produced a new twist in the Korean War. Seoul was captured again by the UN forces. Douglas MacArthur was removed from his post in April because he had not supported the US forces wholeheartedly. Gen. James Van Fleet was given the responsibility to succeed him.
UN forces ousted the Chinese offensive successfully and this marked the concluding phase of the Korean War. It was a stalemate that continued until July 1953. Talks about an armistice and its scope began in July 1951. President Eisenhower, as the new US President, proclaimed an armistice in Korea. It also included the “Terms of Reference” for the POWs at North Korea.
For more information on the Korean War, check out these links.
Keywords:Korean War, Military History,