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Japanese Occupation of Korea
Japanese colonialism was very harsh, they ruled through a military, while any Korean dessent was crushed. After a nationwide protest, the Japanese relaxed and allowed some more freedom and expression. When WWII ended, it left Korea in a time of termoil and confusion. -
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Chinese Winter Offensive
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World War II ends
August 14 & 15 have both been known as V-J day, or Victory over Japan Day. But, Japan's formal surrender was only signed on September 2. -
Korean War begins/ North troops attack South Korea
Armed forces from communist North Korea smashed into South Korea, setting off the Korean War. The United States, acting under the auspices of the United Nations, quickly sprang to the defense of South Korea. -
Battle of Pusan Perimeter begins
This battle marked the end of Operation Pokpoong, which was the code-name for the North Korean invasion of South Korea. The Pusan Perimeter was the furthest reach of this communist invasion. -
Battle of Pusan Perimeter ends
Waves after waves of communist attacks were launched against Pusan. American and South Korean forces, with the vital support of US Navy F4U Corsair fighters, threw the North Korean troops back, launching a counter-offensive that routed the enemy on September 15. -
Battle of Inchon/General MacArthur's Amphibious Landing
This was a military engagement between the UN forces, led by the United States, and the Communist army of North Korea, from September 15 to September 19, 1950, in the city port of Inchon and its surrounding area, South Korea. Inchon was the springboard from which the UN forces would eventually launch counter-attacks to liberate the Republic of South Korea. -
UN/South Korean troops cross border into North Korea
General MacArthur received permission to pursue the enemy into North Korea on September 27. 4 days later the South Korean and UN troops crossed the 38th parallel into North Korea. -
China Enters Korean War
Thousands of Chinese had attacked from the north, northwest, and west against scattered U.S. and South Korean units moving deep into North Korea. It's said that the Chinese seemed to have come out of nowhere because they swarmed around the flanks and over the defensive positions of the United Nations troops. -
Eisenhower visits Korea
Eisenhower went to Korea to see whether he could find the key to ending the bitter and frustrating Korean War. He fulfilled his campaign pledge, although he was not very specific about exactly what he had hoped to accomplish. -
Cease-Fire is signed.
After over two years of posturing and frustrations, at the price of about half the total military casualties of the Korean War, a Cease-Fire was signed, and the butchery stopped at last. -
Korean War is officially over.
After more than two years of negotiations, the adversaries signed an armistice on July 27, 1953. The agreement allowed the POWs to stay where they liked; drew a new boundary near the 38th parallel that gave South Korea an extra 1,500 square miles of territory; and created a 2-mile-wide “demilitarized zone” that still exists today.
