Korean War

The First North Korean Invasion

Jun 25, 1950

North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) invades across the 38th Parallel with 135,000 men. The outnumbered Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) suffers heavy casualties. North Korean forces enter Seoul on June 28.

First Battle Between U.S. Army and NKPA

Jul 5, 1950

First battle between the U.S. Army and the NKPA. Outnumbered and poorly equipped, Task Force Smith delays the North Koreans for only a short period before retreating with heavy casualties.

MacArthur's Amphibious Assault for Seoul

Sep 15, 1950

X Corps amphibious assault at Inchon, Seoul’s port city. Eighth Army begins its breakout from the Pusan Perimeter on Sept. 16.

Seizure of Pyongyang

Oct 19, 1950

Eighth Army seizes Pyongyang, capital of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, after UN forces shift from the defense of South Korea to the destruction of the North Korean regime. The NKPA can mount only very limited and generally ineffective opposition.

U.N. Forces Retreat

Jan 4, 1951

U.N. forces evacuate Seoul after the Chinese and NKPA launch another major offensive. Eighth Army breaks contact with the enemy and withdraws to a new defensive line south of the Han River.

Eighth Army Retakes Seoul

Mar 14, 1951

Eighth Army retakes Seoul against light enemy resistance.

MacArthur Removed From Command

Apr 11, 1951

President Truman relieves Gen. MacArthur as CINCFEC/CINCUNC after MacArthur had publicly and repeatedly questioned President Truman’s strategy for the war.

Negotiations Begin for Armistice

Jul 10, 1951

Armistice negotiations begin as both the US and the PRC decide that the costs are too high to unify the peninsula under their Korean ally, and they instead settle for a continuation of a Korea divided between two regimes.

Geneva Convention Effects

Oct 8, 1952

Armistice negotiations recessed because of a deadlock on the issue of repatriation of POWs. While the Geneva Convention of 1949 mandates immediate repatriation of POWs after hostilities end, the United States decides to press for allowing POWs to choose whether they will be repatriated.

Armistice Negotiations Agreement Reached

Jun 8, 1953

Agreement reached at armistice negotiations on repatriation of POWs. All POWs will choose whether they will be repatriated, and both sides will be allowed an attempt to persuade its POWs to choose to be repatriated.

Armistice Signed

Jul 27, 1953

Armistice signed at Panmunjom. Both sides then withdraw slightly to create a demilitarized zone between the two Korean regimes.

Beginning of POW Exchange

Aug 10, 1953

Exchange of POWs. A total of 82,493 Koreans and Chinese POWs are repatriated, as are 13,444 UN POWs (3,746 of which are Americans). 21,839 communist POWs refuse repatriation, as do 347 UN POWs, including 21 Americans.