A major point of contention during the Cold War was the battle in Korea. From 1950 to 1953 a fierce battle was fought that claimed the lives of two million civilians.
North and South
After World War II, Korea was divided into two areas. North Korea was occupied by the Soviet Union, while South Korea was under the rule of the United States. However, the United States left the South Koreans somewhat to their fate. North Korea, under the leadership of Kim Il-Sung, responded by invading South Korea on June 25, 1950.
US takes action
The United Nations then decided to provide military support to South Korea. A total of sixteen countries provided their support in the fight against North Korea. Douglas MacArthur was appointed commander in chief. The North Koreans, who had already conquered 90% of South Korea, were quickly pushed back. The communists had to give up more and more ground, as a result of which China felt compelled to intervene. They feared that the battle would spread to China. Seoul was quickly recaptured by the North Koreans, with support from the Soviets and the Chinese. MacArthur wanted to attack China by using an atomic bomb. President Truman strongly discouraged this, because of the danger of nuclear war. MacArthur was removed from office shortly afterwards.
Erratic course
Meanwhile, the battle continued unabated. There were many ups and downs on both sides, making it unclear in whose favor the war would be decided. Several peace negotiations were held, but this ultimately led to nothing. Only after the death of Soviet Union leader Josef Stalin in 1953 did peace negotiations actually move forward. A ceasefire was declared on July 27, 1953. As many as two million civilians lost their lives in the Korean War. Officially, peace was never signed between North and South Korea. Several attempts were made by both camps, but the relationship never really warmed up.
Dutch support
The Netherlands also contributed to the Korean War. Six naval ships were sent and a total of nearly 4,000 soldiers served in Korea. Initially, the Netherlands was not enthusiastic about participating in the war. They were afraid of a world conflict and defense expenditure also weighed heavily on the Dutch budget, which was recovering from the Second World War. However, after pressure from the Americans, the Netherlands ultimately decided to send troops to Korea.