The partition of Korea The course of the Korean War The impact of the war
Korea after World War II
Korea was a former Japanese territory that had been divided along a map line called the 38th parallel at the end of World War II. In North Korea, the Soviets established a communist government. South Korea had a US-backed government. It was expected that there would be free elections in 1948 to create a united, democratic Korea. These elections did not take place due to mistrust on both sides. The victory of the communists, under Chairman Mao Zedong, in the Chinese Civil War in 1949 increased tensions in the region.
North Korea’s invasion of the South
There were several military clashes in 1949 along the border between the two states. In June 1950, the North Korean army invaded the South. They had Soviet weapons and quickly pushed the South Korean army back, taking the capital, Seoul. President Truman believed that if the US did not help, the South would be conquered. He ordered US military support for the South and persuaded the United Nations to send an army to help them.
