Interesting Facts about the Korean War

1. This war started on the morning of June 25, 1950 when about 135,000 North Korean soldiers crossed the 38th parallel and invaded the south.

2. The Korean War was the first military confrontation of the Cold War.

3. This bloody war laated for just 3 years, 25th June 1950 to 27 July, 1953.

4. There are still at least 7,000 U.S soldiers still Missing in Action from the war.

5. There was very little media coverage of the war and in HollyWood very few films were made about the Korean War some of them are; The Manchurian Candidate (1962), Pork Shop Hill (1959), and Birthday Boy (2004). Because of this it has been called "The Forgotten War".

6. After the Korean War most of the North Koreans born immediately after were an average of about 2 inches shorter than the South Koreans.

7. Although tens of thousands of Americans died and millions of others participated in the Korean War, the United States never officially declared war. It was officially a police action.

8. About 54,000 Americans died in the Korean War and more than 6 million Americans served during that period.

Well over 1 million Chinese and North Korean troops died in this war and more than 5 million civilians perished.

9. More bombs were dropped on Korea (about 700,000 tons) than in the entire Pacific theatre during World War II.

10. Despite the fact that millions died during the Korean war, no one side can conclusively claim victory.

11. The American CIA actually noticed North Korean troops moving to the south in large numbers several months before the invasion, but these movements were interpreted as merely "defensive measures" and no action was taken to counter it.

12. North Korea was actively supported by the Soviet Union and China who were supporting Communism and South Korea was actively supported by the United States, Great Britain and the United Nations which all supported democracy.

It was the first of many battles between Democracy and Communism.

13. There were more than 7,000 American Prisoners of War (POW's) in the Korean War , almost 3,000 of them died in captivity and the rest were released after the war.

14. The Korean War brought about the first intravenous use of Amphetamine drugs (Heroin, Opium etc). Some soldiers developed the habit of injecting heroin in order to reduce their pain and they brought this habit back home with them.

15. The first all-jet fighter plane dog fight happened during the Korean War.

16. Seoul, the capital of South Korea changed hands during the Korean War. It was captured by the North Koreans on June 28, 1950 and then retaken by U.N forces in September 1950. When the Chinese invaded they captured Seoul in January 1951 but it was again recaptured in March by U.N forces.

17. Presidents Truman and Eisenhower seriously considered dropping nuclear bombs on Korea as a result of the conflict. But the fear of starting World War III made them change their minds.

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