Korean War

American  

[kuh-ree-uhn wawr, kaw-, koh-] / kəˈri ən ˈwɔr, kɔ-, koʊ- /

noun

1. a war begun on June 25, 1950, when North Korea, supported by the Soviet Union and China, invaded South Korea, which was subsequently supported by the United States and numerous allies within the United Nations: armistice signed July 27, 1953.

---

Korean War British  

noun

1. the war (1950–53) fought between North Korea, aided by Communist China, and South Korea, supported by the US and other members of the UN

---

Korean War Cultural  

1. A war, also called the Korean conflict, fought in the early 1950s between the United Nations, supported by the United States, and the communist Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). The war began in 1950, when North Korea invaded South Korea. The United Nations declared North Korea the aggressor and sent military aid to the South Korean army. President Harry S. Truman declared the war a “police action” because he never asked Congress to pass an official declaration of war. He thereby established a precedent for President Lyndon Johnson, who committed troops to the Vietnam War without ever seeking a congressional mandate for his action. General Douglas MacArthur commanded the United Nations troops, who were mostly from the United States. The tide turned against North Korea with the landings at Inchon, and its troops were pushed back into the north; but reinforcements from the People's Republic of China soon allowed the North Koreans to regain lost territory. In 1953, with neither side having a prospect of victory, a truce was signed. In the course of the war, President Truman removed MacArthur from his command for insubordination. (See Truman-MacArthur controversy.)

---

Compare meaning

How does korean-war compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Korean War vs. Vietnam War

Example Sentences

The first is that the Korean War deserves a larger place in America’s strategic psyche.

From The Wall Street Journal

All three of their sons went to war for the United States, and two never came home, one lost in World War II and the other in the Korean War.

From Los Angeles Times

After serving in the air force during the Korean War, he entered the field of advertising, where he won many awards for the radio and television ads he created.

From Literature

“The reason why ‘Gyopo’ was a derogatory word is because there’s an overall kind of weight, complexity and even grief around the diaspora because of things like Japanese occupation and the Korean War.

From Los Angeles Times

Seoul and Pyongyang have remained technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.

From Barron's