The War That Was Forgotten

For hundreds of years Korea was dominated by the Chinese empire. After Japan was defeated by the allies in WW II., Korea became occupied by the Russians in the North and the Americans in the South. Both the U.S. and the Soviets realized that Korea was a strategic country. It was important to occupy because it lay between China, Japan, and the Soviet Union. North and South Korea were divided by the 38th parallel, …

…and Russia, which would have meant WW III.. This is why president Truman removed the aggressive General Macarthur from his office and replaced him with General Ridgway, who was successful in defending the 38th parallel with his strategy known as the active defense. In July 1953, the truce agreement was signed after a series of diplomatic problems about prisoners of war. The casualties were enormous on both sides and the social and economic damage was countless.