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The North Koreans invaded as an act of aggression to take over South Korea but was failed upon the act of the United Nations.
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A counteroffensive began on Sept. 15, when UN forces made a daring landing at Incheon on the west coast. North Korean forces fell back and MacArthur received orders to pursue them into North Korea.
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North Korean forces were driven by the 8th Army, under Gen. Walton Walker, and the X Corp, under Gen. Edward Almond, almost to the Yalu River, which marked the border of Communist China.
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The Chinese decide to help North Korea to get the U.S troops off their backs.
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The UN troops were forced back and the Communist again advanced into the South, recapturing Seoul, the South Korean capital.
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After months of heavy fighting, the center of the conflict was returned to the 38th parallel, where it remained for the rest of the war. MacArthur, however, wished to mount another invasion of North Korea.
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When MacArthur persisted in publicly criticizing U.S. policy, Truman, on the recommendation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff removed (Apr. 10, 1951) him from command and installed Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway as commander in chief.
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Gen. James Van Fleet then took command of the 8th Army. Ridgway began truce negotiations with the North Koreans and Chinese, while small unit actions, bitter but indecisive, continued.
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Gen. Van Fleet was denied permission to go on the offensive and end the "meat grinder" war.
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The war's unpopularity played an important role in the presidential victory of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who had pledged to go to Korea to end the war. Negotiations broke down four different times, but after much difficulty and nuclear threats by Eisenhower, an armistice agreement was signed.
