The Korean War was a conflict that took place on the Korean Peninsula (1950 and 1953) between the different governments that had been formed in North Korea and South Korea. This conflict was one of the deadliest of the entire 20th century, causing a total of 2.5 million casualties. It also contributed to aggravating the existing division between the two Koreas.
Background
The war that started in 1950 was a direct result of the division that existed on the peninsula and that had been imposed by the United States and the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. This conflict reflected the tension that existed because of the bipolarization of the world in the context of the Cold War.
The Korean Peninsula was the target of foreign interference since the beginning of the 20th century, especially the Japanese, who had annexed the peninsula to their territory in 1910. The occupation of Korea by Japan was ratified by the signing of the Korea-Japan Annexation Agreement . This agreement began the occupation of Korea by Japanese citizens.
The occupation of Korea materialized from the formation of Japanese colonies in Korean territory. The Japanese took the productive lands hitherto occupied by the Koreans and made Koreans do forced labor (and many were sent to Japan precisely for this purpose). In addition, the Japanese occupation was marked by several sexual crimes committed against Korean women.
Because of the violence of the Japanese occupation, the Koreans sided with the American war effort against the Japanese during World War II. The great dream of the Koreans when expelling the Japanese invaders was to guarantee the independence of Korea, however, what the Koreans did not expect is that the war powers had other interests for the peninsula.
During the Potsdam Conference , held in July 1945, the Americans and Soviets determined that the Korean Peninsula would be divided into two zones of influence. The 38th Parallel would be the dividing line. The northern part was given over to Soviet influence, and the southern part was given over to American influence.
War between the Koreas
The division of Korea established that foreign powers would militarily occupy the region for a period and contribute to the formation of governments aligned with their sphere of influence. With this, Kim Il-sung were established and Syngman Rhee as rulers of North and South Korea, respectively.
The two governments established in the different Koreas harbored the hope of leading the reunification of Korea under their leadership. In North Korea, Kim Il-sung maintained extensive contact with the Soviets, which secured him economic and military support. In the case of South Korea, the government began to actively persecute any and all popular movements linked to communism.
The military occupation of North Korea by the Soviets ended in 1948, and that of South Korea in 1949. The tension between the two Koreas intensified after the failure of the elections in 1948. In the case of North Korea, actions began to be taken to promote the invasion of South Korea.
The intention to invade South Korea was expressed by the North Korean ruler Kim Il-sung, who wanted to unify the peninsula under his control. To make this possible, he sought to convince Josef Stalin to support the North Koreans. The Soviet ruler, at first, was apprehensive, as he feared that action against South Korea would lead to a direct confrontation with the US.
Stalin convinced himself to support the North Koreans, as he feared that the Chinese would gain influence in the region if the Soviets refused to cooperate. The Soviets were also convinced because the North Koreans claimed that the invasion of South Korea would be carried out quickly and efficiently and would not allow a US reaction.
The Soviets mainly provided aid in supplies and weapons to the North Koreans. Once Soviet aid was secured, the North Koreans began preparations for the invasion of South Korea. The invasion actually took place on June 25, 1950, when North Korean troops crossed the border established at the 38th Parallel.
Once North Korean troops invaded South Korea, the international reaction was almost immediate. On June 27, 1950, Resolution 83 was released. of the Security Council of the UN, in which the foreign intervention in the conflict that was being fought in Korea was approved. The foreign intervention mobilized mainly American forces.
Stages of War
The Korean War had three distinct phases. The first phase This conflict took place between June and September 1950, when the predominance of forces was exercised by the North Koreans, who managed to corner the South Korean troops in a narrow space of land known as the Pusan Perimeter .
The second phase took place between September and October 1950 and was characterized by the predominance of South Korean forces and American troops. American interference in the conflict began after the Battle of Pusan, which ensured the defense of this perimeter. After the landing of American troops in Inchon, the North Korean armies were forced to retreat.
The retreat of North Korean troops led Allied forces to cross the 38th Parallel border and corner North Korean forces in the north of the Peninsula. The possibility of defeat by the North Koreans resulted in the deployment of troops by China . Chinese interference in this conflict was due to the Chinese government's fear that an American victory would lead to an invasion of Chinese territory.
Finally, the third – and greater – phase The beginning of the war began when the Chinese entered the conflict in October 1950. The entry of the Chinese allowed the forces to come into balance. The North Koreans managed to push the allies to the vicinity of the 38th Parallel and, in the following years, the war was fought without major changes in the scenario.
The length, the number of dead and the uncertainty of the scenario resulted in negotiations for an armistice at Panmunjom. A truce was signed on July 27, 1953. This truce ended the conflict, despite the fact that the two nations never signed a peace agreement that officially ended the war. More than 60 years after the war, the relationship between the Koreas is still quite tense.
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