Korean War

1950–1953 conflict on the Korean Peninsula

Politics & GovernmentWar & ConflictSocial & Human Rights

Korean War — Image via Wikimedia Commons or Wikipedia.

Overview

What happened

The Korean War was an armed conflict fought on the Korean Peninsula between North Korea and South Korea and their allies.

Date

July 26, 1948

Location

Washington, D.C., United States

Key people

Harry S. Truman, Omar Bradley, A. Philip Randolph, Kenneth Claiborne Royall

Outcome

On July 26, 1948, President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981, banning segregation across the United States Armed Forces.

Why it matters

Wikipedia's entry summarizes Executive Order 9981 in a few sentences.

What was Korean War?

The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict fought on the Korean Peninsula between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was supported by China and the Soviet Union, while South Korea was supported by the United Nations led by the United States under the auspices of the United Nations Command (UNC). After the end of World War II in 1945, Korea, which had been a Japanese colony for 35 years, was divided by the Soviet Union and the United States into two occupation zones at the 38th parallel, with plans for a future independent state. The zones formed their own governments in 1948 due to political disagreements.

Background and consequences

North Korea was led by Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang, and South Korea by Syngman Rhee in Seoul; both claimed to be the sole legitimate government of all of Korea. Both sides engaged in extensive border clashes while Rhee's government suppressed communist uprisings at Jeju and Yeosu-Suncheon. On 25 June 1950, North Korea's Korean People's Army (KPA) launched an invasion of South Korea. In the absence of the Soviet Union's representative, the UN Security Council denounced the invasion, calling on member states to help repel the invasion. UN forces under the unified command comprised 21 countries, with the US providing around 90% of military personnel. On 27 June 1950 President Harry S. Truman ordered US air and sea forces to aid South Korea.

Why it matters

Seoul was captured by the KPA on 28 June, and by early August, the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) and its allies were nearly defeated, holding onto only the Pusan Perimeter in the peninsula's southeast. On 15 September, UN forces landed at Inchon near Seoul, cutting off KPA troops and supply lines. UN forces broke out from the perimeter on 18 September, recaptured Seoul, and invaded North Korea in October, capturing Pyongyang and advancing towards the Yalu River (border with China). On 19 October, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) crossed the Yalu and entered the war on the side of the North. UN forces retreated from North Korea in December, following the PVA's first and second offensive.

Related on thisDay

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How Did Executive Order 9981 Desegregate the U.S. Military?

On July 26, 1948, President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981, banning segregation across the United States Armed Forces.

Sources and further reading

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Date article: President Eisenhower Honors Two Unknown Soldiers at Arlington on Memorial Day 1958 — May 30, 2026 Wikipedia source

Cite this page

MLA

“Korean War.” thisDay, thisday.info/history/korean-war/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

APA

Korean War. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://thisday.info/history/korean-war/

Chicago

“Korean War.” thisDay. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://thisday.info/history/korean-war/.

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