The Korean War

An early crisis in the Cold War, known as the period of U.S.-Soviet tensions, from 1947 until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, occurred in Korea, a country that had been divided at the end of the Second World War. In June 1950, the army of Communist North Korea invaded U.S.-supported South Korea. President Harry S. Truman committed American troops to defend South Korea, and the U.S. made up the largest part of a United Nations force in that country. North Korea, meanwhile, received aid from two Communist countries, China and the Soviet Union, which had interests in the region. The bloody Korean War lasted for three years. This book in the MAJOR U.S. HISTORICAL WARS series examines the events that led up to the Korean War. It discusses the political and military strategies that the American, UN, North Korean, and Chinese forces employed, and provides information about key people, battles, and events. Although an armistice was signed in 1953, the war has never truly ended. Tensions have continued between the North and the South for more than 60 years. Each title in this series contains color photos, maps, chronology and back matter including: an index, further reading lists for books and internet resources, and a series glossary. Mason Crest's editorial team has placed Key Icons to Look for throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are then used in the prose throughout that chapter, and are emboldened, so that the reader is able to reference back to the definitions- building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader's comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each chapter as well and provide readers with suggestions for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. A Series Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter contains terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the reader's knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.