Before talking about the causes of the Korean War of 1950-1953, it is necessary to understand the definition of this conflict and learn about the parties involved in the conflict.
Korean War - fighting between the forces of North and South Korea, in which Chinese, American, and Soviet troops and military equipment also participated. The war began in June 1950 and ended in July 1953.

Background and causes of the Korean War
During World War II, the entire territory of Korea was conditionally divided along the 38th parallel: the northern part was given to the USSR and the southern part to the USA. Got it, in what sense? They had to get rid of the presence of the Japanese army, the USSR in the north, and the USA in the south.
After the war, the US and USSR governments signed an agreement on the temporary administration of these territories in order to restore the country and maintain peace.
The UN assumed that after the war Korea would become united again, but the Cold War began between the USSR and the USA. A problem arose - the countries could not agree on the details of the unification of the country. In 1947, the United States told the world that it itself would be responsible for the fate of Korea.
Meanwhile, the communists also wanted to unite the country under one flag, but not the American one. Thus, a pro-American Korea was formed in the south, and a pro-communist Korea in the north; each side wanted to subjugate all of Korea.
In 1949, South Korean soldiers and police officers committed about 2 thousand crimes on North Korean territory, and the air and land borders of the state were violated dozens of times. This gave rise to growing discontent and tension between the two camps.
North Korea began preparing for war as early as 1948. But the final decision to attack South Korea was made in 1950, when the North Korean government met with Stalin. North Korea requested military assistance in the event of a full-scale war against South Korea back in 1949. But Stalin refused this - the Soviet army would not take part in hostilities against South Korea, for which the United States would stand, because this could lead to World War III. But he agreed to help supply supplies, equipment, and personnel to train the North Korean army. The Chinese military was siding with North Korea and was ready to enter the war.
These are the reasons for the Korean War of 1950-1953. were key, and they were the ones that led to its beginning.
The military conflict began on June 25, 1950 with a large-scale attack by North Korea on South Korea. The beginning of the war was successful for North Korea, they pushed through all directions and won before the UN forces entered the war.
In total, about 1 million fighters from South Korea took part in the fighting, the majority of whom were fighters from South Korea - about 600 thousand fighters and the United States - about 300 thousand fighters.
About the same number of fighters participated for South Korea, among them 800 thousand Chinese troops and 260 thousand North Korean soldiers.

Unfinished war. This is how one can characterize the Korean War of 1950–1953. And although hostilities ended more than half a century ago, a peace treaty between the two states has still not been signed.

The origins of this conflict date back to 1910. Then the “Land of Morning Freshness,” as Korea is poetically called, was annexed by Japan. And her dependence on it ended only in 1945.

Allies of Korea

After the surrender of Japan, the fate of Korea, the former province of the Land of the Rising Sun, was decided by the allies. American troops entered from the south, Soviet troops from the north. At first this was considered a temporary measure - the state was planned to be united under one government. But just under what? This was the stumbling block that divided the nation for many decades.

The USA and USSR formed governments in each of their parts, having previously withdrawn their troops in 1949. Elections were held, a left-wing government came to power in the north, and a right-wing government headed the southern part, with the support of .

Both governments had one task - to unite Korea under their rule. No one wanted to give in, and relations between the two parts of the country became tense. The constitution of each of them also provided for the extension of its system to another part of the nation. Things were heading towards war.

Korea's appeal to the USSR with a request

In order to resolve the situation in its favor, the North Korean government turned to the USSR and personally to Comrade Stalin with a request for military assistance. But Stalin decided to refrain from sending troops into the country for fear of a direct clash with the Americans, which could end in World War III. However, he provided military assistance, and by 1950 North Korea had become a sufficiently equipped military state.

Gradually, the leadership of the USSR was inclined to decide to more openly help North Korea establish communism by military means in its southern neighbors. This became possible thanks to the stated position of the United States, which stated that Korea was no longer within the sphere of interests of the United States. But this turned out to be not entirely true.

Beginning of the war

The war began on June 25, 1950. North Korean troops crossed the border. The number of attackers exceeded 130 thousand people. They were met by a larger army - their southern neighbors sent 150 thousand. But they were much worse armed and equipped - in particular, they did not have aviation or heavy artillery.

The North Korean army was counting on a quick victory - broad popular support for the established communist system was expected, but this was a miscalculation. Although the army advanced quite quickly - Seoul was captured three days later, and three weeks later it already controlled most of the country - but this did not bring a lightning victory.

The Americans did not expect such a development of events. They hastily began to arm parts of the South Korean army, while simultaneously acting in the international arena. The UN Security Council, convened on June 25, put the “Korean” issue on the agenda. The resolution adopted at this meeting stated that the Council condemns North Korean aggression and UN peacekeeping forces should stand up for South Korean sovereignty. It was supported by 9 countries - with Yugoslavia abstaining and the Soviet Union boycotting this meeting.

The countries of the socialist bloc criticized the actions of the United States and its allies in the “Korean” issue, while Western countries supported America’s initiative, providing not only diplomatic support, but also military support.

Meanwhile, the military situation in South Korea was difficult. The troops of our northern neighbor conquered almost 90 percent of the country's territory. One of the most successful and significant military operations for the North Koreans was Daejeon. The army crossed the Kimgan River, surrounding the enemy group, which included the American 24th Infantry Division. In fact, its remnants were surrounded - the vigorous actions of the North Korean army virtually destroyed it completely, and the commander, Major General William F. Dean, even managed to be captured. But strategically, the Americans completed their task. Timely help was able to turn the tide of events. And already in August they not only stopped the enemy’s offensive, but by October they were able to launch a counter-offensive.

Allied help

The Allies supplied the South Korean army not only with ammunition, weapons, and armored vehicles, but also provided aviation. The offensive was so successful that the advancing military units soon captured Pyongyang. Capital of North Korea. The war seemed hopelessly lost. But this situation did not suit the leadership of the Soviet Union and the PRC.

Officially, China could not enter the war, because the 270 thousand soldiers who entered Korean territory on October 25 were called “volunteers.” The Soviet side supported the Chinese invasion with air power. And by early January, Seoul was again under North Korean control. Things were so bad on the Allied front that the Americans were seriously considering the possibility of a nuclear attack on China. But, fortunately, this did not happen. Truman never decided to take such a step.

However, the victory of the North Korean army never happened. By the middle of next year, the situation had become a “stalemate” - both warring sides suffered huge casualties, but were not approaching victory. The negotiations that were held in the summer of 1951 did not bring any results - the armies continued to fight. Visit American President Eisenhower in November 1952 also did not clarify - how to resolve this complex and controversial Korean issue?

The situation was resolved in the spring of 1953. Stalin's death forced the leadership of the Soviet Union to reconsider its policy in this region. And members of the Politburo decided to advocate for an end to the conflict and the return of prisoners of war by both sides. But only two-thirds of the captured North Korean and Chinese soldiers wanted to return home.

Armistice agreement

The agreement to cease hostilities was signed on July 27, 1953. The front line remained fixed at the 38th parallel, and a demilitarized zone was organized around it, which still exists.

The document was signed by representatives of North Korea and General Clark, who heads the American contingent. Representatives of South Korea refused to sign the agreement.

Subsequently, the parties still sat down at the negotiating table - in particular, a year later a peace conference was held in Geneva, at which an attempt was made to conclude a peace treaty. Each side tried to push through its own amendments to it, not wanting to compromise. The parties left with nothing.

In 1958, the United States, violating all agreements, deployed nuclear weapon on the territory of South Korea, which was exported only in 1991. At the same time, an Agreement on Truce, Cooperation, Non-Aggression and Exchange was signed between these countries with the assistance of the UN.

Today in the world there are not many major military conflicts that “de facto” were never ended, remaining in the “cold” phase. The only exceptions include the military confrontation between the USSR and Japan, a peace treaty for which has not yet been signed, as well as the Korean conflict. Yes, in 1953, both sides signed a “truce,” but both Koreas treat it with slight disdain. In fact, these two countries are still at war.

It is generally accepted that the intervention of the USSR and the USA was the main cause of the war, but this was somewhat wrong, because the internal situation on the peninsula by that time was very unstable. The fact is that the artificial distinction that was made shortly before actually cut the country in half, and everything was even worse than in the situation with West and East Germany.

What were the two Koreas like before the conflict began?

Many still believe that the northerners suddenly and unmotivatedly attacked the southerners, although this is far from the case. South Korea was ruled by President Rhee Syngman at that time. He lived in the USA for a long time, spoke fluent English language, although Korean was difficult for him, at the same time, oddly enough, he was not at all a protege of the Americans and was even openly despised by the White House. There was every reason for this: Lee Seung seriously considered himself the “messiah” of the entire Korean people, was uncontrollably eager to fight and constantly asked for supplies of offensive weapons. The Americans were in no hurry to help him, since they did not really want to get involved in the hopeless Korean conflict, which at that time did not give them anything useful.

The “messiah” also did not enjoy the support of the people themselves. The left parties in the government were very strong. So, in 1948, an entire army regiment rebelled, and the island of Jeju “preached” communist beliefs for a long time. This cost its residents dearly: as a result of the suppression of the uprising, almost every fourth person died. Oddly enough, all this happened practically without the knowledge of Moscow or Washington, although they clearly believed that “damned commies” or “imperialists” were to blame. In fact, everything that happened was an internal affair of the Koreans themselves.

Deterioration of the situation

Throughout 1949, the situation on the borders of the two Koreas strongly resembled the fronts of the First World War, as cases of provocations and open hostilities occurred daily. Contrary to the now widespread opinions of “experts,” southerners most often played the role of aggressor. Therefore, even Western historians admit that on June 25, 1950, the Korean conflict predictably entered a hot phase.

A few words should also be said about the leadership of the North. We all remember the “great helmsman,” that is, Kim Il Sung. But in the times we are describing, his role was not so great. In general, the situation was reminiscent of the USSR in the 1920s: Lenin was a significant figure then, but Bukharin, Trotsky and other figures also had tremendous weight in the political arena. The comparison is, of course, crude, but it gives a general understanding of what is happening in North Korea. So, the history of the Korean conflict... Why did the Union decide to take an active part in it?

Why did the USSR intervene in the conflict?

On the part of the communists of the North, the duties of the “messiah” were performed by Park Hong-yong, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and, in fact, the second person in the country and communist party. By the way, it was formed immediately after the liberation from Japanese occupation, and the legendary Kim Il Sung was still living in the USSR at that time. However, Pak himself also managed to live in the Union in the 30s and, moreover, made influential friends there. This fact was the main reason for our country getting involved in the war.

Pak swore to the leadership of the USSR that in the event of an attack, at least 200 thousand “South Korean communists” would immediately launch a decisive offensive... and the criminal puppet regime would immediately fall. At the same time, it is important to understand that the Soviet Union did not have any active residency in those parts, and therefore all decisions were made based on the words and opinions of Pak. This is one of the most important reasons why the history of the Korean conflict is inextricably linked with the history of our country.

For quite a long time, Washington, Beijing and Moscow preferred not to interfere directly with what was happening, although Comrade Kim Il Sung literally bombarded Beijing and Moscow with requests to help him with his campaign against Seoul. It should be noted that on September 24, 1949, the Ministry of Defense assessed the proposed plan as “unsatisfactory,” in which the military was fully supported by the Plenum. The document stated in plain text that “one should clearly not count on a quick victory, and even breaking the enemy’s resistance will not be able to prevent massive economic and political problems." China responded even sharper and more specifically. But in 1950, Pak received the required permission. This is how the Korean conflict began...

What made Moscow change its decision?

It may very well be that the positive decision was in one way or another influenced by the emergence of the PRC as a new, independent state. The Chinese could have helped their Korean neighbors, but they had a lot of their own problems, the country had just stopped Civil War. So in this situation it was easier to convince the USSR that the “blitzkrieg” would be completely successful.

Now everyone knows that the United States in many ways also provoked the Korean conflict. We also understand the reasons for this, but in those days all this was far from so obvious. All Koreans knew that the Americans strongly disliked him. He was well acquainted with some Republicans in Parliament, but the Democrats, who even then played the “first fiddle,” quite openly called Lee Seung “an old senile.”

In a word, this man was for the Americans a kind of “suitcase without a handle,” which was terribly inconvenient to carry, but not worth throwing away. The defeat of the Kuomintang in China also played a role: the United States did practically nothing to openly support Taiwanese radicals, but they were much more needed than some “senile person.” So the conclusion was simple: they will not interfere in the Korean conflict. They had no reason to actively participate in it (hypothetically).

In addition, by that time Korea had been officially removed from the list of countries that the Americans pledged to defend in the event of unexpected aggression by third parties. Finally, on the world map of those times there were enough points at which the “commies” could strike. Greece, Turkey and Iran - according to the CIA, all these places could provoke much more dangerous consequences for US geopolitical interests.

What prompted Washington to intervene?

Unfortunately, Soviet analysts made a serious mistake by not considering at what time the Korean conflict occurred. Truman was the president, and he took the “communist threat” very seriously, and perceived any successes of the USSR as his personal insult. He also believed in the doctrine of containment, and also did not think twice about the weak and puppet UN. In addition, in the United States the sentiment was similar: politicians had to be tough so as not to be branded as weaklings and not lose the support of the electorate.

One can wonder for a long time whether the USSR would have supported the northerners if it had known about the real lack of support from the “southern communists”, as well as about the direct intervention of America. In principle, everything could have happened exactly the same, but on the contrary: Syngman Rhee could have “finished off” the CIA, the Yankees would have sent their advisers and troops, as a result of which the Union would have been forced to intervene... But what happened, happened.

So, how did the Korean conflict (1950-1953) come about? The reasons are simple: there are two and South. Each is ruled by a person who considers it his duty to reunite the country. Each has its own “patrons”: the USSR and the USA, which, for one reason or another, do not want to interfere. China would be happy to intervene to expand its possessions, but it does not have the strength yet, and the army does not have normal combat experience. This is the essence of the Korean conflict... The rulers of Korea are doing everything they can to get help. They get it, resulting in a war. Everyone is pursuing their own interests.

How it all began?

What year did the Korean conflict happen? On June 25, 1950, Juche troops crossed the border and immediately entered the battle. They practically did not notice the resistance of the thoroughly corrupt and weak army of the southerners. Three days later, Seoul was taken, and at that moment, when the northerners were marching through its streets, victorious reports from the South were broadcast on the radio: the “commies” had fled, the armies were moving towards Pyongyang.

After the capture of the capital, the northerners began to wait for the uprising promised by Pak. But he was not there, and therefore we had to fight in earnest, with the troops of the UN, the Americans and their allies. The manual UN quickly ratified the document “On restoring order and expelling the aggressor”; General D. MacArthur was appointed commander. The representative of the USSR at that time boycotted UN meetings because of the presence of the Taiwanese delegation there, so everything was calculated correctly: no one could veto. This is how an internal civil conflict grew into an international one (which still occurs regularly to this day).

As for Pak, who started this mess, after the failed “uprising” he and his faction lost all influence, and then he was simply eliminated. Formally, the sentence included execution for “espionage for the United States,” but in fact, he simply framed Kim Il Sung and the leadership of the USSR, dragging them into an unnecessary war. The Korean conflict, the date of which is now known throughout the world, is another reminder that interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states is completely unacceptable, especially if the interests of third parties are pursued.

Successes and defeats

The defense of the Busan perimeter is known: the Americans and the southerners retreated under attacks from Pyongyang and fortified themselves on well-equipped lines. The training of the northerners was excellent; the Americans, who perfectly remembered the capabilities of the T-34s with which they were armed, were not eager to fight them, leaving their positions at the first opportunity.

But General Walker, with the help of tough measures (he himself ran through the trenches, demonstrating the combat use of “bazookas”), managed to rectify the situation, and the northerners were simply not ready for a long war. The grandiose front line was devouring all resources, tanks were running out, and serious problems began with the supply of troops. In addition, it is worth giving credit to the American pilots: they had excellent machines, so there was no question of air supremacy.

Finally, not the most outstanding, but quite experienced strategist, General D. MacArthur managed to develop a plan for the landing at Inchon. This is the western tip. In principle, the idea was extremely extravagant, but MacArthur, due to his charisma, still insisted on carrying out his plan. He had that same “feeling” that sometimes worked.

On September 15, the Americans managed to land and, after fierce fighting, were able to recapture Seoul two weeks later. This marked the beginning of the second stage of the war. By the beginning of October, the northerners had completely abandoned the territory of the southerners. They decided not to miss their chance: by October 15, they had already captured half of the enemy’s territory, whose armies were simply exhausted.

The Chinese are coming into play

But here is China: the Americans and their “wards” crossed the 38th parallel, and this was a direct threat to Chinese sovereignty. To give the US direct access to its borders? This was unimaginable. The Chinese "small detachments" of General Peng Dehuai entered the battle.

They repeatedly warned about the possibility of their participation, but MacArthur did not react to notes of protest. By that time, he openly ignored the orders of the leadership, since he imagined himself as a kind of “appanage prince.” Thus, Taiwan was forced to accept him according to the protocol of meetings of heads of state. Finally, he repeatedly stated that he would arrange a “great massacre” for the Chinese if they “dare to interfere.” The PRC simply could not tolerate such an insult. So when did the Korean conflict involving the Chinese happen?

On October 19, 1950, “volunteer units” entered Korea. Since MacArthur did not imagine anything like this at all, by October 25 they completely liberated the territory of the northerners and swept away the resistance of the UN troops and Americans. Thus began the third stage of hostilities. In some areas of the front, UN troops simply fled, but in others they defended their positions to the end, systematically retreating. On January 4, 1951, Seoul was reoccupied. The Korean conflict of 1950-1953 continued to gain momentum.

Successes and defeats

By the end of that month the offensive had slowed down again. By that time General Walker had died and was replaced by M. Ridgway. He began to use the “meat grinder” strategy: the Americans began to gain a foothold on dominant heights and simply waited for the Chinese to occupy all other locations. When this happened, MLRS and aircraft were used, burning out the positions occupied by the northerners.

A series of major successes allowed the Americans to launch a counteroffensive and recapture Seoul for a second time. By April 11, D. MacArthur was removed from his post as commander in chief due to his obsession with nuclear bombing. He was replaced by the above-mentioned M. Ridgway. However, by that time the UN troops had run out of steam: they did not repeat the march on Pyongyang, and the northerners had already managed to arrange arms supplies and stabilized the front line. The war acquired a positional character. But the Korean conflict of 1950-1953. continued.

End of hostilities

It became clear to everyone that there was simply no other way to resolve the conflict other than a peace treaty. On June 23, the USSR called for a ceasefire at a UN meeting. On November 27, 1951, they had already agreed to establish a demarcation line and exchange prisoners, but then Syngman Rhee intervened again, who ardently advocated for the continuation of the war.

He actively exploited the differences that arose in the issue of prisoner exchange. Under normal conditions, they change according to the “all for all” principle. But here difficulties arose: the fact is that all parties to the conflict (North, South and China) actively used forced recruitment, and the soldiers simply did not want to fight. At least half of all prisoners simply refused to return to their “place of registration.”

Seung Man practically disrupted the negotiation process by simply ordering the release of all “refuseniks.” In general, by that time the Americans were so tired of him that the CIA even began planning an operation to remove him from power. In general, the Korean conflict (1950-1953), to put it briefly, is a perfect example of how the government of a country sabotages peace negotiations for its own interests.

On July 27, 1953, representatives of the DPRK, AKND and UN troops (representatives of South Korea refused to sign the document) signed a ceasefire agreement, according to which the demarcation line between North and South Korea was established approximately at the 38th parallel, and on both sides around it a demilitarized zone 4 km wide was formed. This is how the Korean conflict happened (1950-1953), summary which you saw on the pages of this article.

The result of the war is that more than 80% of the total housing stock on the Korean Peninsula was destroyed, and more than 70% of all industries were disabled. Nothing is still known about real losses, since each side greatly overestimates the number of enemy deaths and minimizes its losses. Despite this, it is clear that the conflict in Korea is one of the bloodiest wars in history. modern history. All sides of that confrontation agree that this should not happen again.

In 1905, at the end of the Russo-Japanese War, Japan declared a protectorate over the territory of the Korean Peninsula, and since 1910 it has made Korea its colony. This lasted until 1945, when the USSR and the USA decided to declare war on Japan and landed Soviet troops in the north and American troops in the south of the Korean Peninsula. Japan capitulated and lost its territories outside its own country. At first, it was planned to temporarily divide Korea along the 38th parallel into two parts, with the aim of accepting surrender in the north and south, and in December 1945 it was decided to introduce two provisional governments.

In the north, the USSR transferred power to the leadership of the Communist Party led by Kim Il Sung, and in the south, as a result of elections, the leader of the liberal party, Syngman Rhee, won.

Causes of the Korean War

With the outbreak of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, it became difficult to agree on the unification of north and south Korea into a single country, and interim leaders Kim Il Sung and Syngman Rhee tried to unite the two sides of the peninsula each under their own leadership. The situation began to heat up, and the leader of the communist movement, Kim Il Sung, turned to the USSR with a request to provide military assistance in order to attack South Korea, while emphasizing that the majority of the people of the northern peninsula would themselves go over to the side of the communist regime.

When did the Korean War start

At 4 a.m. on June 25, 1950, troops of the communist north, numbering 175 thousand soldiers, began their offensive across the border. The USSR and China took the side of North Korea. The United States, as well as other UN members: Great Britain, the Philippines, Canada, Turkey, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Ethiopia, Greece, France, Colombia, Belgium, South Africa and Luxembourg, came out in support of South Korea. Despite this, the superiority of North Korea's forces and allies was obvious. For two years, the line of fire ran almost along the 38th parallel.

Of the coalition countries that fought on the side of the South, the United States suffered the greatest losses, because the North had at its disposal the best Soviet equipment and, most importantly, the best MiG-15 fighters in the USSR.

Results of the Korean War

On July 27, 1953, an armistice agreement was finally reached, which remains in effect to this day. However, to this day, North and South Korea remain in a technical state of war and are ready to begin hostilities again at any moment.

As concessions when signing the agreement, North Korea gave South Korea a small territory northeast of the border in exchange for annexing Kaesong.

During the war, the border shifted many times from the very north to the very south, and thanks to the fact that the city of Kaesong became part of North Korea, the border between the countries shifted just south of the 38th parallel, and today this border is the most demilitarized in the world.

The total number of losses on both sides of the Korean Peninsula is estimated at 4 million people, and these are soldiers, pilots, officers and the rest of the military personnel, as well as civilians. Hundreds of thousands of wounded. Material losses amount to thousands of downed aircraft and hundreds of destroyed machinery.

The territories of the two countries suffered greatly from powerful bombings and military battles.

After Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905 Korea became part of the Japanese Empire. At the end of World War II, the allies in the anti-Hitler coalition agreed that the Russians would disarm Japanese troops in the northern part of the country, and American troops in the southern part. The United Nations was going to grant Korea full independence. For this purpose, at the end of 1947, a UN commission was sent to the country to organize national elections. But by this point " cold war The conflict between the Western and Eastern blocs was already in full swing, and the USSR refused to recognize the authority of the commission in its zone of occupation.

In the south of the Korean Peninsula, under the supervision of a UN commission, elections were held and in August 1948 the state of South Korea was created, headed by the President. Lee Seung Man. The USSR organized its own elections in North Korea, and in September 1948 Stalin's protege came to power Kim Il Sung, who remained the leader of the country until his death in July 1994. Soviet troops were withdrawn from the Korean Peninsula, and in July 1949 the Americans did the same. Stalin, however, left the North Korean army far better armed than its southern neighbor. Relations between the two Koreas were very tense.

Less than a year later, on June 25, 1950, North Korean forces began the war with a surprise attack. They crossed the 38th parallel, along which the state border between the two Koreas passed. Their goal was to overthrow the South Korean government and unify the country under the rule of Kim Il Sung.

Poorly armed and poorly trained South Korean troops were unable to repel aggression from the north. Three days later, the country's capital, Seoul, surrendered to North Korean troops, who continued to advance south on a broad front. South Korea turned to the UN for help. Since January 1950 Soviet Union refused to participate in the work of the UN due to the presence there as a permanent member of the Security Council from China of the ambassador of the Nationalist regime Chiang Kai-shek, and not from Mao's communist government. Therefore, the USSR was unable to veto the UN ultimatum to North Korea to withdraw troops. When this ultimatum was ignored by Kim Il Sung, the Security Council called on member states to provide military and other assistance to South Korea.

American naval and air forces immediately began deploying. July 1, 1950, first contingents ground forces The United States, flying a NATO flag and airlifted from Japan, arrived at the war front in Busan, a port on the extreme southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula. Additional contingents arrived by sea over the next few days. However, they were too weak and soon fled along with the South Korean troops. By the end of July, all of South Korea, with the exception of a small southeastern bridgehead around the port of Busan, had been captured by North Korean troops.

General who previously led the Allied fight against the Japanese in the southwestern region Pacific Ocean, was appointed Supreme Commander of the UN forces in the Korean War. He organized the defense of the Pusan ​​Perimeter and, by the end of August, achieved double numerical superiority over the North Koreans, preparing a decisive counteroffensive.

MacArthur came up with a daring plan. He ordered an amphibious landing at Inchon in the northwestern Korean Peninsula to divert the attention of the North Koreans from the Pusan ​​bridgehead and facilitate its breakthrough.

The Inchon landing operation began on September 15, 1950. The landing involved American and South Korean Marines, who took the North Koreans by surprise, and Inchon was captured the next day. Then an American infantry division was transferred to the military area. The Americans launched an offensive deep into Korea and liberated Seoul on September 28.

On September 19, 1950, the breakthrough of the Busan perimeter began. This offensive completely threw the North Korean ranks into disarray, and on October 1, their troops fled in disarray across the 38th parallel. But the UN forces did not stop at the border of North Korea, but rushed deep into its territory. On the 19th they entered the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. Nine days later, UN forces reached the Yalu River, on the border between North Korea and China.

Counterattack by anti-communist forces in 1950. Landing site shown at Inchon

Such a rapid change in the situation worried the communist government Mao Zedong, which was one of the main organizers of the Korean War. During October 1950, 180,000 Chinese soldiers were secretly and quickly deployed across the border. The bitter Korean winter has arrived. On November 27, 1950, the Chinese launched a surprise attack on UN forces, quickly sending them into disorderly flight. The lightly armed Chinese were accustomed to the winter cold, and by the end of December 1950 they reached the 38th parallel. Unable to hold them here either, the UN forces retreated even further to the south.

Seoul fell again, but by this time the Chinese offensive had lost its momentum, and UN troops managed to launch a counteroffensive. Seoul was again liberated, and Chinese and North Korean troops were driven beyond the 38th parallel. The Korean War front has stabilized.

At this stage, a split occurred in the camp of the UN forces. General MacArthur, considered the best soldier in American history, wanted to strike what he called the Chinese "sanctuary" - an area north of the Yalu River that served as an outpost for the Chinese. offensive operations. He was even ready to use nuclear weapons. President of the U.S.A Truman horrified by this prospect, fearing that it would provoke the Soviet Union to launch a nuclear strike on Western Europe and start the third world war. MacArthur was recalled and replaced by American General Matthew Ridgway, commander of the American Eighth Army in Korea.

Towards the end of April 1951, the Chinese launched another offensive. They managed to penetrate South Korea despite heavy losses. Once again, UN forces counterattacked and drove the Chinese and North Koreans twenty to thirty miles north of the 38th parallel.

Front line changes during the Korean War

At the end of June, the first signs appeared that the Chinese were ready for peace negotiations. On July 8, 1951, a meeting of representatives of the warring parties took place aboard a Danish ambulance ship in Wonsan Bay on the east coast of North Korea. However, it soon became clear that the Chinese were in no hurry to end the Korean War, although the UN was ready to agree to the permanent division of Korea along the 38th parallel. However, after a serious defeat, the Chinese needed time to recuperate. Therefore, they favorably greeted the UN's refusal to further offensive operations.

So both sides moved to trench warfare, which was reminiscent of the situation on the Western Front. First World War in 1915 - 1917. The defensive lines on both sides consisted of barbed wire fences, trenches with parapets made of sandbags, and deep dugouts. A major difference between the Korean War of 1950-1953 and the First World War was the widespread use of minefields. The UN forces had a significant advantage in firepower, but the Chinese and North Koreans had superior numbers.

At least sixteen countries sent troops to fight in Korea under the UN flag, and five more countries provided medical assistance. America made the largest contribution, and countries that sent troops included Britain, Belgium, Turkey, Greece, Colombia, India, the Philippines and Thailand.

At sea, the UN forces had an overwhelming advantage. Airplanes from aircraft carriers attacked North Korean territory. And the UN troops had superiority in the air. The Korean War of 1950-1953 was marked by the first air battles using exclusively jet aircraft - American F-86 Sabers fought with Soviet MiG-15s. Allied bombers, including the giant B-29s that dropped atomic bombs Japan in 1945, attacked North Korean communications. Stormtroopers were also widely used, often with napalm bombs.

In the Korean War, attack helicopters had their say for the first time. During World War II, helicopters were rarely used, mainly for rescue missions. Now they have demonstrated their effectiveness as means of reconnaissance and detection of enemy artillery, as well as transport for the transfer of personnel and evacuation of the wounded.

There was no progress in the negotiations until mid-1953. It was not only the Chinese who created difficulties in finding a compromise. South Koreans opposed the idea of ​​two Koreas. In response, the Chinese launched a new decisive offensive in June 1953. Then the UN began to act over the head of South Korea, and while the Chinese offensive continued, a ceasefire agreement was signed on July 27, 1953 in Panmunjom.

The Korean War of 1950-1953 cost both sides almost two and a half million killed and wounded, including almost a million Chinese. She failed to end the hostility between the two Koreas, which continues to this day.

During the Korean War, Mao Zedong's son, Mao Anying, was killed in an American air raid.