From the day when North Koreans attacked South Korea on June 25, 1950 to the day of the armistice on July 27, 1953, the events of the Korean war revealed the mass destruction, pain, and suffering Koreans had to endure. At the end of the war, more than 3 million Koreans died while millions of refugees remained homeless and distraught. About 1 million Chinese died in this battle and American casualties numbered 54,246 people. This section will explore and follow the events, strategies, and atrocities of the Korean war.

The Korean war can be divided into three phases.

• The first phase began on June 25, 1950 and ended on the day United Nations (U.N) forces thrusted into North Korea's territory.
• The second phase of the Korean war was essentially the Southern unit's attack and retreat from North Korea.
• The last phase of the war consisted of the "see-saw" f ighting on the thirty-eighth parallel, stalemate, and negotiation talks.

On June 25, 1950 at 4 a.m., 70,000 North Korean troops with Russian T-34 tanks crossed the thirty-eighth parallel. President Truman appea led to the United Nations to take "police action" against the "unwarranted" attack. Hence, under the "name of the United Nations", the United States was able to send troops and forces.

On June 29, the North Korean Army, Korean People's Army (KPA), p ressed southward and captured Seoul. By August, KPA forces were on their drive toward the Pusan perimeter, which consisted of the northern area of Pohang, southern area of Chinju-Masan region, and Taegu as the major center city.

The U.N forces were on the defensive side until September 15 when the American forces, under the command of General MacArthur successfully landed on Inchon. The landing allowed the U.N forces to break through the Pusan perim eter, to retake Seoul, and to cross the thirty-eighth parallel by September 30. By the end of the first phase of the Korean war, 111,000 South Koreans died and 57,000 were missing.

In the second phase of the Korean war, KPA forces wer e in retreat. In two days, the Southern forces were approximately 25 miles north of the parallel. Within a week, they captured Wonson, located on the eastern side of North Korea. Thereafter, they marched toward the Yalu River with almost no resisten ce from the Northern units.

The unexpectant decision of China's entry into the war in early October turned the tide of the war. The Northern units, consisting of Sino-Korean troops, sent the U.N forces retreati ng again. On December 6, the Communist forces retook Pyongyang. And by the end of December, they recrossed the parallel and retook Seoul.

But Northern forces were not as successful as their first attack because by the end of January 1951, the U.N forces were back on the Han river and by March 14, they were able to retake Seoul from North Korea's hands. The conditions in Korea during this time was one of desparation. One can only imagine the chaos not only in Seoul, which exchanged hands 4 times, but in every city in both North and South Korea. Koreans frantically fled their homes in search for refugee camps, safety, shelter, and food.

During the months of May a nd April of 1951, there was a sort of "see-saw" fighting along the thirty-eighth parallel with neither units really advancing beyond the parallel. By summer of 1951, talks for an armistice began.

Throughout mid-1951 to 1953, negotiation for peace treaty stalled and reopened. A major issue that stalled negotiations was whether POWs should be repatriated on voluntary basis or not. In addition, accusations about war crimes committed by United States stall ed negotiations.

Fighting continued with intensified guerilla warfare during the armistice talk. "Operation Ratkiller" was designed to counter guerilla warfare. Also, aerial bombing in North Korea also intensified as the negotiation continued. In fact, to intimate North Korea and in order to end the war quickly, the use of nuclear weapons were considered.

By June 8, 1953, the basic agreement over the POW issu e was settled. Both sides agreed on the principle of voluntary repatriation. And by June 17, agreement on the final truce-demarcation line became finalized. Nevertheless, everyone but Syngman Rhee was pleased with the negotiations. He jeopardized the negotiations allowing the release and escape of 27,000 Korean POWs on June 18. This angered North Koreans who wanted United States to take the responsibility to make certain that the negotiations would be carried out by Sygnman Rhee. In one final offensive attack where 7,400 South Koreans were killed and United States forces endangered, United States agreed to take responsibility in enforcing the agreement of the armistice. The armistice was finally signed on Ju ly 27, 1953.