| Event
|
Date |
Significance |
| Korea divided between North and South
| September 1945
| Following Japanese surrender, Soviets maintained military presence in
the North with American troops in the South. Temporary border at 38th
parallel established
|
| Soviets & Americans withdraw military
| 1949
| A pro-Soviet puppet government is left in charge of North Korea with a
vastly superior army to U.S.-supported South
|
| North Korea invades South Korea
| June 24, 1950
| Whether North Koreans acted with Stalin's approval is still debated
|
| Truman orders air and naval support for South Korea & calls for UN
intervention
| June 27, 1950
| With the Soviet Union absent from the Security Council, the U.S. was
able to win agreement from UN to support South Korea. MacArthur
appointed to command UN operations
|
| U.S. troops invade at Inchon
| September 15, 1950
| In surprise landing behind enemy lines, US forces push North Korean
army back north of the 38th parallel
|
| Pyongyang falls to UN forces
| October 19, 1950
| North Korean capital now in UN control
|
| Chinese divisions enter fighting
| November 4, 1950
| With increased opposition, UN offensive stalls and then collapses.
Chinese troops push UN forces back across 38th parallel and capture
Southern capital of Seoul
|
| MacArthur declares "There is no substitute for victory"
| March 1951
| In message to House Republican leader Martin, MacArthur expresses his
frustration with the limited war U.S. is fighting against communists
|
| Truman relieves MacArthur of command
| April 11, 1951
| Following several warnings about insubordination, Truman angers public
(69% support MacArthur) by firing the US commander
|
| MacArthur addresses Congress after being away from the U.S. since 1935
| April 19, 1951
| In emotional speech, MacArthur declares "Old soldiers never die,
they merely fade away".
|
| Negotiations begin at Panmunjon
| July 1951
| Talks drag on until 1953 and war is settled with the establishment of
a DMZ (demilitarized zone) on each side of the 38th parallel
|
| Korea becomes campaign issue in 1952 presidential election
| Summer 1952
| Eisenhower pledges to go to Korea to end the war. VP candidate Nixon
contends Democrats had caved in to communists in Korea and that Democrat
presidential candidate Stevenson should be called "Adlai the
Appeaser"
|
| Armistice formally re-established the division of Korea
| March 1953
| Formal peace treaty never signed. Over 1,000,000 Koreans and 54,000
Americans killed in conflict plus thousands who die as prisoners of war
|
