Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Korean War
Table of Contents
References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images & Videos
Korean War, June–August 1950 battle casualties of the Korean War (1950–53) 38th parallel Korean War Korean War: U.S. soldiers United States Army Korean War Korean War Korean War, September–November 1950
Harry Truman's presidency: World War II, the atomic bomb, and the Cold War
For Students
Korean War summary
Quizzes
Louis IX of France (St. Louis), stained glass window of Louis IX during the Crusades. (Unknown location.)
World Wars
D-Day. American soldiers fire rifles, throw grenades and wade ashore on Omaha Beach next to a German bunker during D Day landing. 1 of 5 Allied beachheads est. in Normandy, France. The Normandy Invasion of World War II launched June 6, 1944.
A History of War
Related Questions
Read Next
Bar graph of the United States Death Toll during major events. Infogram chart.
U.S. Death Toll During Major Events
Korean War - U.S. Marines watch explosions of bombs dropped by Marine Vought F4U Corsair fighter bomber planes during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, Korea, in December 1950. soldiers
Korean War Timeline
Iraqi Army Soldiers from the 9th Mechanized Division learning to operate and maintain M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks at Besmaya Combat Training Center, Baghdad, Iraq, 2011. Military training. Iraq war. U.S. Army
8 Deadliest Wars of the 21st Century
Close up of a hand placing a ballot in a ballot box. Election vote voter voting
Have Any U.S. Presidents Decided Not to Run For a Second Term?
Normandy Invasion: Overview infographic. D-Day. World War II. SPOTLIGHT VERSION.
How the Normandy Invasion Happened: Infographic Overview
Discover
Fish. Lionfish. Lion-fish. Turkey fish. Fire-fish. Red lionfish. Pterois volitans. Venomous fin spines. Coral reefs. Underwater. Ocean. Red lionfish swims by seaweed.
10 of the World’s Most Dangerous Fish
illustration of the walking titanosaurus, Patagotitan mayorum
Titanosaurs: 8 of the World's Biggest Dinosaurs
Battle of the Alamo from "Texas: An Epitome of Texas History from the Filibustering and Revolutionary Eras to the Independence of the Republic, 1897. Texas Revolution, Texas revolt, Texas independence, Texas history.
6 Wars of Independence
Lusitania sinking, illustration from The War of the Nations (New York), December 31, 1919. World War I, WWI. This image is one of three on the page. (See source file for the other two.)
7 of the World’s Deadliest Shipwrecks
Two chicks near an egg with a white background (poultry, chick, chickens, birds).
What Do Eggs Have to Do with Easter?
Small, white rat (genus Rattus) on a glass table. (rodent, laboratory, experiment)
Cruel and Unusual Punishments: 15 Types of Torture
Rural Irish landscape, Sligo, Ireland.
Why Is Ireland Two Countries?

Korean War: Facts & Related Content

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/Korean-War
Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

What this tweet says about the US-China trade war • Apr. 12, 2025, 2:59 AM ET (CNN)

Facts

Date June 25, 1950 - July 27, 1953
Location North Korea • South Korea • Gwangju
Participants China • North Korea • South Korea • United Nations • United States

Did You Know?

  • Of the troops sent to help South Korea, about 90% were from the United States.
  • More than 40 countries of the UN sent troops, equipment, or other aid to South Korea.
  • More than half of the deaths in the Korean War were of civilians, constituting a higher civilian death rate than in either World War II or the Vietnam War.

Photos and Videos

Korean War, June–August 1950
battle casualties of the Korean War (1950–53)
38th parallel
Korean War
Korean War: U.S. soldiers
United States Army
Korean War
Korean War
Korean War, September–November 1950
downtown Seoul during the Korean War
Harry Truman's presidency: World War II, the atomic bomb, and the Cold War
Why are North and South Korea divided?
See All Videos and Images →

Related Topics and References

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Timeline

Korean War
Inchon landing
September 15, 1950 - September 26, 1950
Men and armour of the U.S. 1st Marine Division during the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, December 1950.
Battle of the Chosin Reservoir
November 1950 - December 1950
Korean War, February 1951–July 1953
Battle of Kapyong
April 23, 1951 - April 25, 1951

Key People

Thomas Hudner
Thomas Hudner
United States naval officer
Puller, Chesty
Chesty Puller
United States Marine Corps officer
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Chinese leader
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
premier of Soviet Union
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
president of United States
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
president of United States
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
United States general
Harold K. Johnson
United States Army officer
Kim Il-Sung
Kim Il-Sung
president of North Korea
Edward M. Almond
United States general
Walton H. Walker
American military officer
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee
president of South Korea
Dean Acheson
United States statesman
Léo Major
Canadian soldier
Trygve Lie
Trygve Lie
Norwegian statesman and secretary-general of the United Nations
Matthew B. Ridgway, 1951.
Matthew Bunker Ridgway
United States general
Maxwell Taylor, 1962.
Maxwell Davenport Taylor
United States army officer
Chung Seung-Hwa
South Korean general
James Alward Van Fleet
United States military commander
Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr.
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.
United States general

Related Quizzes and Features

Quiz
Louis IX of France (St. Louis), stained glass window of Louis IX during the Crusades. (Unknown location.)
World Wars
D-Day. American soldiers fire rifles, throw grenades and wade ashore on Omaha Beach next to a German bunker during D Day landing. 1 of 5 Allied beachheads est. in Normandy, France. The Normandy Invasion of World War II launched June 6, 1944.
A History of War
List
Iraqi Army Soldiers from the 9th Mechanized Division learning to operate and maintain M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks at Besmaya Combat Training Center, Baghdad, Iraq, 2011. Military training. Iraq war. U.S. Army
8 Deadliest Wars of the 21st Century
Korean War - U.S. Marines watch explosions of bombs dropped by Marine Vought F4U Corsair fighter bomber planes during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, Korea, in December 1950. soldiers
Korean War Timeline