In 1945, after the end of World War II, Korea was divided into two occupation zones - Soviet and American. It was assumed that over time, these territories will unite under the authority of one government. But this could not be done even by armed means ...
Reasons for the conflict
Under an agreement between the USA and the USSR, provisional governments were formed in each part of Korea. The military units of both states were withdrawn from the territory of the peninsula by 1949. In the south, elections were held with the support of the UN, as a result of which right-wing forces came to power. In the north, the Soviet administration transferred control of the country to the left government.
With each passing year, the situation on the peninsula grew tense: more and more, both governments systematically went to a conflict that would go down in history as the Korean war. The reasons were obvious: the Communists in the north and the right-wing forces in the south did not want to give up power to each other. The constitutions of both parts of Korea explicitly stated that the goal of the government is to spread power throughout the peninsula. The North Korean government turned to Stalin for help, urging Soviet troops to enter Korea. But the Soviet leader was in no hurry to meet, suggesting that the participation of the USSR in the conflict would lead to United States intervention, and ultimately to nuclear war. However, this did not mean that the North Korean government would not receive Soviet military assistance.
By the beginning of 1950, the DPRK, with the support of the USSR and China, managed to build up its military power. The Soviet government agreed to the participation of Soviet troops in the war against South Korea. The allies were also determined by the fact that in January 1950 the American leadership outlined its sphere of interests in the Pacific Ocean. From a statement made by US Secretary of State Dean Acheson, it followed that Korea was not in the zone of American interests, which means that the Americans are unlikely to intervene in the upcoming clash.
Conflict begins
On June 25, 1950, the 135,000th army of North Korea crossed the border with its southern neighbors. Thus began the Korean war. The South Korean army was higher in number (150 thousand soldiers), but inferior in armament: unlike the North Koreans, their opponents almost did not have armored vehicles and aircraft. On June 28, the DPRK army captured the capital of South Korea, Seoul. But the calculations for a lightning war did not materialize. The South Korean government managed to escape, and the population, which the Communists hoped for an uprising, was in no hurry to support them. Despite this, by mid-August, the North Korean army occupied most of the territory of South Korea.
The outbreak of the Korean War came as a complete surprise to the US leadership. A week before the conflict began, Dean Acheson, already known to us, confidently reported to Congress that the war was unlikely to begin. Now the Americans had to urgently take action. US Army Commander in Japan Douglas MacArthur received orders to provide South Korean military with ammunition and weapons. The Korean War forced the Americans to work on the diplomatic front. As early as June 25, 1950, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution on this issue. As a result, not only the Americans came to the aid of South Korea, but also the troops of other Western powers, who fought under the auspices of the UN.
Despite such support, at first the Korean War did not bring success to South Korea and the UN forces. Only by August 20 they were able to stop the advance of the enemy. In mid-September, South Koreans and UN troops launched a counterattack. Now they were armed with aircraft, and mortars, and several hundred tanks. The DPRK troops could not resist them and began a retreat. Soon, the capital of North Korea Pyongyang was in the hands of the allies. It seemed that the war was about to end.
From conflict to negotiation
But to the aid of the North Korean army, already almost defeated, came China and the USSR. The 270,000th Chinese army, which was officially considered people's volunteers, crossed the border on October 25th. The USSR provided air support for MiG-15 aircraft. Chinese troops began to push the UN forces south. January 4, 1951 Seoul was already in the hands of the armies of the DPRK and China. But the North Koreans failed to consolidate their success.
By mid-1951, the war, as they say, was “frozen”. Both sides lost a huge number of soldiers, but did not achieve significant success. In July 1951, opponents sat down at the negotiating table. But even during discussions, fights did not stop. The event that accelerated the end of the Korean War was the death of Stalin in March 1953. After that, members of the Politburo called for an end to the conflict. The process of returning prisoners and the development of a peace treaty began. On July 27, 1953, a ceasefire was concluded. True, representatives of South Korea refused to sign it, and from the UN side only General Clark, the commander of the American contingent, put his signature. The border passed where the 38th parallel runs on the map. But the parties ending the war have not yet concluded a treaty.