The Korean War and Global Expansion 1950–1953

The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) transformed the Cold War from a primarily European confrontation into a genuinely global conflict. It was the first "hot war" between the superpowers (fought through proxies and allies), the first major test of the United Nations' collective security system, and the conflict that militarised American containment policy. The key question is: was the Korean War a defensive response to communist aggression, or did it reveal the aggressive nature of American Cold War policy?

Key Definition: The Korean War was a conflict between North Korea (supported by China and the Soviet Union) and South Korea (supported by the United States and a UN coalition). It ended in an armistice — not a peace treaty — with the peninsula still divided roughly along the 38th parallel.

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The Division of Korea

Korea had been a Japanese colony since 1910. At the end of World War II, it was divided along the 38th parallel — Soviet forces accepted the Japanese surrender in the north, American forces in the south. This temporary division became permanent: