Events Leading to the Invasion of South Korea

Second Opium War

Period: Oct 8, 1856 to Oct 18, 1860

Against France and Britain.

First Sino-Japanese War

Period: Apr 1, 1894 to Apr 17, 1895

Proclamation of the USSR

Mar 16, 1922

Overthrow of the Provisional Government by the Bolsheviks, now under the rule of Vladmir Lenin.

Second Sino-Japanese War

Period: Jun 7, 1937 to Sep 9, 1945

Potsdam Conference

Period: Jul 17, 1945 to Aug 2, 1945

Division of the Korean Peninsula

Aug 2, 1945

Territory divided into:
North Korea- Kim Il Sung (USSR's influence)
South Korea- Syngman Rhee (United State's influence)

End of the Second World War

Sep 2, 1945

Truman Doctrine

Mar 12, 1947

Seen by communists as an open declaration that innoficially began the Cold War, consolidated through the Marshall Plan.

Marshall Plan Begins

Apr 5, 1947

Proclamation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Sep 9, 1948

Secret Meeting between Stalin and Kim Il Sung

Mar 5, 1949

At the time, Sung asked for permission to invade South Korea- and he was denied as Stalin was more worried with the events occuring in Berlin than the situation in the Korean peninsula. http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/collection/138/conversations-with-kim-il-sung

Signing of the NATO Pact

Apr 4, 1949

Proclamation of the People's Republic of China

Oct 1, 1949

Country now under the influence of the communist party and running under the leadership of Mao Zedong.

Recognition of the PRC by the USSR

Oct 3, 1949

Secret Meeting between Stalin and Kim Il Sung 2

Apr 19, 1950

This time, Stalin authorizes Sung to cross the 38th Parallel once he feels his nation is ready for the task.
http://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/document/114905

Invasion of South Korea by North Korea

Jun 25, 1950