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US to Leave Korea
American forces begin to prepare to withdraw from Korea, hoping to leave the South as an independent state under the leadership of the pro-American conservative Dr. Syngman Rhee. -
Chinese Revolution Begins
China began to have a revolution and Mao Zedong wanted to turn all of China in to the communist People's Republic of China. -
Communist take over China
Communist Mao Zedong takes control of China and establishes the People's Republic of China -
The Chinese Republic
When the People's Republic of China was formed, a group of people broke away because they wanted a democratic system instead. This group temporarily made Taipei, Taiwan their capital in December 1949. -
Chinese and Soviet Alliance
Soviet leader Josef Stalin celebrates his 70th Birthday, and Chinese leader Mao Zedong visits Moscow to negotiate an alliance with the Soviet Union. -
Sino-Soviet Treaty
Soviet leader Josef Stalin and Chinese leader Mao Zedong sign the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assistance, an agreement committing the two nations to 30 years of mutual defense. -
Stalin Approves the Korean Invasion
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Korean War begins
Stalin supports North Korea who invade South Korea equipped with Soviet weapons -
Noth Korea Invades South Korea
North Korea crosses the 38 parallel and attacks South Korea. -
Truman Meets at Blair House
While the situation in Korea rapidly deteriorates, President Truman convenes two days' worth of high-level meetings at Washington, D.C.'s Blair House (his temporary residence while the White House undergoes renovations). In consultation with top officials of the State and Defense Departments, Truman makes the critical decision to offer military aid to South Korea without seeking an official declaration of war from Congress. -
U.S. Aids South Korea
President Harry Truman orders American forces to assist South Korea, which is being overrun by Communist North Korean troops. -
North Korea Captures Seoul
North Korean forces capture the South Korean capital city of Seoul. -
Battle at Osan
American ground troops go into battle against Northern Korean forces at Osan (just south of Seoul on the western side of the peninsula). The Americans, expecting an easy victory over an overmatched foe, are stunned to discover that the North Korean army will be a formidable adversary. The Americans suffer 150 casualties in the battle and fail to halt the North Koreans' southward advance. -
North Korea Advances to Daejeon
Communist forces continue their southward advance through the Korean peninsula, driving American forces back to Daejeon, 100 miles south of Seoul. -
Retreat to Pusan Perimeter
American and South Korean forces end more than a month of retreat by establishing, finally, a stable defensive line outside the city of Pusan, at the far southeastern tip of the peninsula. The shattered remnants of the South Korean army and the entire American force in Korea crowd into the tiny area behind the so-called Pusan Perimeter; the entire rest of the country, more than 90% of Korea's land area, is now under Communist control. Over the next six w -
US Reaches Pyongyang
The US First Cavalry Division enters Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. The jubilant American soldiers are convinced that victory in the broader war is near, taking bets on exactly when they will be able to ship out for home. -
Truman fires MacArthur
Truman fires MacArthur for insubordination. -
Negotiations Begin in Korea
Peace negotiations begin in Korea, but will drag on for two more years. Combat continues. -
Eisenhower Elected
Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower, the famous World War II general, defeats Democrat Adlai Stevenson in the American presidential election. -
Armistice
With the help of the United Nations, the armistice was created. This made Korea to stay divided by the 38th parallel. -
Korean War ends
North Korea and South Korea sign peace treaty to end the fighting.
