Historical Overview

          The Korean War sometimes is known as the “Forgotten War,” because it was in between the Vietnam War and World War II. Not very many people know much about this war. Here is what we have learned about this “Forgotten War.”

The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 when North Korean troops crossed the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea. The 38th parallel was the boundary set up by the United Nations, dividing Korea into two different areas. This resulted into three different phases of the war. The first phase was from June to September 1950 when North Korea penetrated to the Pusan Perimeter. The second phase was from September to November 1950 when the United Nations counterattack. The third phase was from November 1950 to July 1953 and was located toward the cease-fire line.  They were the North and the South. When the communist troops of North Korea invaded South Korea, the United States got involved through a promise of support given to the president of South Korea. The U.N. also helped the South Koreans. The North Koreans had the support of the Soviet Union and when the Chinese started to fear their borders were being vulnerable, they joined the North Koreans. ( Korean War )

          The commander of the Allied Forces in the United Nations forces during the first nine months of the Korean War, General Douglas MacArthur started the Inchon on September 15. This meant that the marines and soldiers cut communist supply lines and they finally turned the fighting around. It was a total destruction of North Korea's military power, and seemed nearly unopposed.

          After one defeat, American forces found themselves trapped in the southeastern corner of Korea. But the tide was changing. UN troops and materiel were flowing through the port of Pusan, and the NKPA has stretched its resources too far. General  Walton Walker deftly coordinated the Pusan Perimeter defense line against a six-week relentless assault by the NKPA. Facing total defeat, American troops held the line. (Defense of Pusan)

Many casualties came along with the war. 37,000 Americans risked their lives fighting and died in the three years of bombing. There were 4 million Korean deaths in the North and South during this period. The service men that fought were fighting to help the other people. In 1953, the signing of the armistice took place between the United Nations, United States, China, and North Korea. South Korea refused to sign. It still refused to bring about a permanent peace. The signing of the armistice ended the war leaving two Koreas separate. (Korean War: The Forgotten War, Overview) 

After interviewing a man from the Korean War, we got a real perspective on it. The fashion differed quite a bit from today. It wasn't as much of an issue as it is today. People didn't really care if they were in style or not. Being in another country to our interviewee was different at first with all the different situations you were confronted with, but after a while it was kind of like home. The army ate served food, which included steaks, and pork chops just like if they were home. They were fed pretty well and it kept them full.

Another person that we interviewed was a person who lived in Korea during the war. Pyong moved to America when she was 26 years old. She still visits Korea every two years. So many things have changed over in Korea but the majority of it is for the better. Though her country is a different religion, she is a Christian. One thing that she remembers was when the American soldiers give them chocolate. Some nights they had to leave their cities and go sleep on the ground because the fighting was so bad in the cities. Though her father fought in the Southern side, her grandfather had his other son fight for the North, so that whichever side would win he would still have family alive.

The “Forgotten War” was a time of craziness that split families and divided two nations into bitter enemies. Many lives were taken in this war, which would not separate these two country differences. Some may think this war was pointless others will think it made all the difference but because of this war there is not one Korea, but two.