The Korean War was the first open conflict of the Cold War. Just five years after the end of World War II, the unresolved divisions between South Korea, backed by the US, and North Korea, supported by the Soviet Union and China, erupted into armed conflict when North Korean troops poured south across the border in June 1950.
Although South Korea received the armed support of the US, within months these were cornered in the tip of the Korean Peninsula. A later invasion pushed the North Korea troops back north, but, again, the US and South Korean troops were surprised by a North Korean and Chinese attack. After that, the war would descend into a lengthy battle of attrition and Seoul would change hands four times.
Ultimately, 21 countries of the United Nations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia and Turkey supported South Korea in the conflict. The result of the conflict saw the border return to where it was before fighting broke out: the 38th Parallel.
The Korean War is a fascinating account of this conflict, from its causes in the history of the Far East and the early Cold War through to battles such as Inchon, from the war in the air to the war of attrition, and from the descent into stalemate to the diplomacy that brought about its end.
Accessibly written, The Korean War is a highly illustrated, balanced account of the political, military and ideological conflict.