On June 25th, 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea and began the Korean War. Previously from 1910 until the end of World War II, the Japanese had ruled the Korean peninsula. After World War II, Korea was divided into North Korea and South Korea by a border called the 38th Parallel. The United States controlled South Korea and the USSR controlled North Korea. Increasing border skirmishes between North Korea and South Korea as well as a growing political divide between the countries escalated into war. On June 27, 1950 President Harry Truman sent U.S. Air and Naval support to South Korea. In the Fall of 1950 China entered the Korean War on the side of North Korea.
Dwight D. Eisenhower went to Korea in 1952 to try to find a way to end the Korean War.The North Korean People's Army, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army and the United Nation's forces came to a cease fire near the 38th parallel. The United Nations, the United States, the North Korean Korean People's Army, and the Chinese People's Volunteer Army, signed an armistice agreement on July 27th, 1953 and established the Korean Demilitarized Zone known as the DMZ.
