Dates That Matter

July 27, 1953

The Korean "conflict" ends.

For many, Korea is the "forgotten war." Technically, it was not a war at all and is more properly called the Korean Conflict. The conflict was set squarely in the context of the post World War II struggle between democracy and communism, and concerned the possible threat of spreading communist from North Korea. The North Koreans, supported by Communist China wanted control of South Korea, an area occupied by the United States following the defeat of the Japanese in World War II. The US never declared war on any nation; instead it entered what was really a civil war between Korean factions in order to secure its own interests.

Although a cease-fire was declared in 1953, the US still maintains a significant military presence in South Korea in order to secure it against pressure from the North, and concerns over the nuclear capability of North Korea continue to be important in international affairs today.

For more information...

Korean War 50th Anniversary
This site from the US Army is in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Korean War. There is a nice teacher resource section with information about teaching the Korean War.

Truman Museum and Library: The Korean War
From the Truman Library, a collection of resources related to the Korean War. There are documents, audio recordings, video recordings and teacher resources.