HISTORY
Why Is It Called "The Forgotten War"?
The Korean War broke out between World War II and the Vietnam War, and it slipped out of the world's attention. In the West, people have long called it "The Forgotten War." But it is a war that should never be forgotten. In three years and one month of fighting, the whole Korean Peninsula was left in ruins, and millions of soldiers and civilians lost their lives or were separated from their families.
And then there were the young heroes of 22 nations who crossed the globe to defend the freedom of a country most of them had never even heard of. Tens of thousands of them never made it home.
TIMELINE
The Course of the War: 1,129 Days
North Korea's Surprise Invasion
At 4 in the morning, North Korean forces stormed across the 38th parallel and the war began. Seoul fell in just three days.
The United Nations Steps In
The UN Security Council called the invasion an act of aggression and, for the first time in history, decided to send UN forces. Twenty two nations answered with combat troops and medical support.
Busan Becomes the Provisional Capital
The government moved to Busan, which became the provisional capital of the Republic of Korea. For 1,023 days, Busan was the beating heart of the nation in wartime.
The Nakdong River Perimeter, the Last Stand
Korean and UN forces dug in along the Nakdong River. If that line broke, the Republic of Korea would be gone. Busan was the lifeline where UN troops and supplies kept arriving.
The Incheon Landing
UN forces led by General MacArthur landed at Incheon and turned the tide of the war. Seoul was taken back on September 28th.
China Intervenes and the January 4th Retreat
After reaching the Yalu River, Korean and UN forces were pushed back by a massive Chinese intervention and lost Seoul once more. Fierce battles over the hills near the 38th parallel followed for two more years.
The Armistice, a War Not Yet Over
The Armistice Agreement signed at Panmunjom silenced the guns. But it was a ceasefire, not a peace treaty. The war has never formally ended.
UN FORCES
The Nations That Came to Korea's Defense
It was the first war, and so far the only one, where multinational forces fought under the flag of the United Nations.
16 Combat Troop Nations
United States · United Kingdom · Canada · Türkiye · Australia · Philippines · Thailand · Netherlands · Colombia · Greece · New Zealand · Ethiopia · Belgium · France · South Africa · Luxembourg
6 Medical Support Nations
Sweden · India · Denmark · Norway · Italy · Germany