National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day Date in the current year: July 27, 2024

Although the Korean War was officially a civil war, it is often viewed as a proxy war between the parties of the Cold War because North Korea was supported by the Soviet Union and China, while South Korea was supported by the United States and other members of the Western Bloc.

The roots of the Korean War can be traced back to Imperial Japanese rule in the Korean Peninsula. Following Japan’s defeat in World War II, Korea was divided into two parts along the 38th Parallel; the northern part was administered by the Soviet Union, and the southern part was administered by the United States. It was assumed that the two Koreas would eventually reunite peacefully, but it was rendered impossible by the desire of each of the new Korean regimes to dominate the unified state.

By 1949, both Soviet and American troops withdrew from Korea, but they didn’t stay away for long. On June 25, 1950, North Korean troops crossed the 35th Parallel and advanced quickly, capturing Seoul in just three days. As soon as the news of the North Korean invasion broke out, the UN Security Council unanimously condemned the actions of North Korea.

US President Harry S. Truman and Secretary of State Dean Acheson agreed that the United States was obligated to support South Korea. The first significant US engagement of the Korean War was the Battle of Osan, which resulted in the defeat of American troops. Despite the initial failure, the South Korean forces, aided by the US and UN allies, began to advance and recaptured Seoul. On October 19, 1950, the US Army captured Pyongyang. In response, China entered the war. The Soviet Union was not officially belligerent during the war, but it provided pilots, aircraft, material and medical services to aid North Korea and China.

The war reached a stalemate in July 1951. The parties began armistice negotiations but combat continued. The on-again, off-again negotiations lasted for two years. Finally, the Korean People’s Army of North Korea, the People’s Volunteer Army of China and the UN Command signed the Korean Armistice Agreement on July 27, 1953, establishing the Korean Demilitarized Zone.

National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day was established by US President Barak Obama to honor 1.8 million Americans who fought in the Korean War. Of these, nearly 37,000 people died, over 103,000 were wounded, more than 7,000 were captured, and over 8,000 were declared missing. On July 27, Americans honor the memory of those who died in the war and express their gratitude to living veterans.

National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day is marked with memorial ceremonies held at monuments and memorials throughout the country, including the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.