Korean War Memorial at West Potomac Park in Washington D.C.
The Story of the Korean War
In 1945, at the end of World War II, Korea was divided into two states. North Korea was to be rebuilt under the direction of the Soviet Union, and South Korea was to be managed by the United States.
The division was made along the 38th parallel, a decision made primarily because of the geopolitical tensions which were being discovered, and would ultimately lead to the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.
A column of the U.S. 1st Marine Division move through Chinese lines.
A Prelude to War
Despite having established separate nation-states, skirmishes between the North Korea and South Korea never ceased. Attacks from both sides on the other were constant, as each attempted to assert authority over the other. These clashes occurred with increasing frequency as the Chinese Civil War was drawing to a close in 1948 and 1949. Supported by communists in China and backed by Soviet strategy and armaments, an insurgency of North Korean communists lead to wide-scale casualties throughout the southern portion of the peninsula.
After Mao Zedong had secured a victory in China, Joseph Stalin delivered Moscow's approval of a North Korean invasion into South Korea. With Stalin's direct oversight, North Korea's appointed leader, Kim Il-sung attacked South Korea on June 25, 1950.
Soldiers from the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division in action near the Ch'ongch'on River, 20 November 1950.
Fighting Begins on June 25, 1950
North Korean troops marched into South Korea all along the 38th parallel behind cover of artillery fire. Trapped and having little to no weapons of war with which to respond, more than 75% of the existing South Korean forces were decimated in the first five days — approximately 73,000 troops.
The attack was unexpected and no contingency had been prepared for a U.S. response. However, once news of North Korea's advance reached President Truman, the U.S. reaction was swift.
A twelve billion dollar budget for military action in Korea was quickly approved. Still, assembly of a conventional military ensemble was delayed due to post-WWII budget cuts and a contemporary focus on building nuclear bombers — entire industries had to be reorganized.
A grief stricken American infantryman whose buddy has been killed in action is comforted by another soldier. In the background a corpsman methodically fills out casualty tags, Haktong-ni area, Korea. August 28, 1950. Sfc. Al Chang. (Army)
The Short-Lived Aftermath
The fighting carried on until the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed on July 27, 1953, following extensive diplomatic efforts on the part of newly-elected President Eisenhower.
More than 3 million soldiers and civilians died in the Korean War. Nearly 2 million American combat troops were involved, including 36,516 who were wounded or lost their lives and approximately 7,800 who are M.I.A. or otherwise unaccounted for. More than 30% of American casualties were taken in the first four months of U.S. involvement.
National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day honors American service personnel involved in the Korean War. It is observed on July 27 each year, and is usually accompanied by a presidential proclamation.
There are about 14 Korean War Memorials throughout the United States and the world. For American service personnel, the most notable memorial is in Washington D.C., on the grounds of West Potomac Park.
Delegates sign the Korean Armistice Agreement in P'anmunjŏm.
A War With No Name
The Korean War was preceded directly by the horrors and unprecedented global scale of World War II. It was followed by the 19 years of tumult and public outrage at the handling of the Vietnam War. As such, it receives only a small amount of attention in the United States by comparison to most other historical conflicts.
Because of this, and though the conflict is called by many names (see the list below), in the U.S. it has widely been referred to by the unfortunate moniker, "The Forgotten War."
- 625 (South Korea)
- The 6-2-5 Upheaval (South Korea)
- The Fatherland Liberation War (North Korea)
- The War to Resist America and Aid Korea (China)
- The Hán War (China)
- The Unknown War (United States)
- The Forgotten War (United States)
We Remember
Our position is that no war should be forgotten. The lessons we are fortunate to carry away and the freedom we are lucky to access have been consecrated through the sacrifice of the brave among us who blocked the path of oppression. We are grateful to those who courageously gave their full measure of devotion; first, last, or otherwise.
Night view of the Korean War Veterans Memorial at West Potomac Park in Washington D.C.
Celebrate Our Korean War Heroes
Send us your pictures of Korean War flags or memorabilia, American flags, flagpoles, ropes, or other accessories! We would be honored to feature your photography in our blog or on Facebook. Remember, photos of damaged flags and accessories are valuable, too.
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Have a great day, from your friends at LIBERTY FLAGS, The American Wave®.
Map of the Korean War from May 1950 to July 1951, showing:
Chinese and communist forces (Soviet Union) (light red),
North Korean forces (red),
South Korean, U.S. and United Nations forces (green).
Animated image used with permission CC BY-SA 3.0
Celebrate Your Veterans With Us!
Send us your pictures of your own heroes, American flags, flagpoles, ropes, or other accessories! We would be honored to feature your photography in our blog or on Facebook. Remember, photos of damaged flags and accessories are valuable, too.
Was this information useful to you?
Do you have suggestions for information you'd like to see here? If so, please send them our way!
Please send all of your suggestions or questions to [email protected]. We want to hear from you!
Have a great day, from your friends at LIBERTY FLAGS, The American Wave®.
