The United States' Involvement in the Korean Conflict

In 1948 the Korea Peninsula was divided between a Soviet-backed government in the north and an American-backed government in the south. War loomed as tensions rose between the two opposing ideologies of communism and democracy. The Cold War conflict was a civil war that became a proxy battle between the superpowers as they clashed over communism and democracy.

The Korean War, which ended with an armistice on July 27, 1953, is sometimes referred to as the 'forgotten war' or a 'police action,' but its significance cannot be understated. On June 27, 1950, U.S. President Harry Truman announced support for South Korea in repelling an invasion by North Korea, entering the U.S. in the Korean War.

Although many people recall that Japan was a foe of America in World War II along with Nazi Germany, when and why did Japan join the Axis? The arrival of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) in South Vietnam during July and August 1962 was the beginning of a new chapter in U.S. military involvement in Asia.

More information about the Republic of Korea is available on the Republic of Korea and from other Department of State publications and other sources. Beijing and Washington both made critical misjudgments during the Korean War, misjudgments that turned the conflict into a prolonged and devastating event.

It is often said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was founded in response to the threat posed by the Soviet Union. The United States' involvement in the Korean Conflict was a direct result of the global power struggle between the superpowers during the Cold War era.