Korean War Armistice ~ 56 years ago

Korean War Memorial
Washington, DC

Generals Sign Armistice for Korean War

Gen. W. K. Harrison, Jr., left table, signs the armistice ending the 3-year Korean conflict.
On the right, North Korean Gen. Nam Il also signs documents.

The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 and ended with a signed armistice on July 27, 1953.
The armistice is a cease-fire, not a peace treaty, and left the Koreas divided and technically in a state of war. This was the beginning of wars that the United States engaged in and did not finish.

It was a brutal environment and the first conflict of the Cold War. Casualties were high, though most numbers are merely estimates. Yet, with all of this death, it is known as the "Forgotten War" and people have lost sight of it and the veterans who served there.

On one side was South Korea and with UN resolution 84, the following countries joined: United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Columbia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, Japan, Denmark, Italy, Norway, India and Sweden. The other side was North Korea, joined by the Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China and Czechoslovakia.

Today, the United States still maintains bases along the DMZ (demilitarized zone) dividing North and South Korea. Recently, North Korean disavowed the armistice and threatened South Korea and the United States, as well as other democratic nations in the region.

Casualites:
South Korea
137,899 KIA
450,742 WIA
32,838 MIA/POW
United States
36,516 dead (2,830 non-combat)
92,134 wounded
8,176 MIA
7,245 POW
United Kingdom
1,109 dead
2,674 wounded
1,060 MIA or POW
Turkey
721 dead
2,111 wounded
168 MIA
216 POW
Canada
516 dead
1,042 wounded
Australia
339 dead
1,200 wounded
France
300 KIA or MIA
Greece
194 KIA
459 wounded
Philippines
112 KIA
Netherlands
123 KIA
Belgium
106 KIA
Luxembourg
2 KIA
New Zealand
33 KIA
South Africa
28 KIA and 8 MIA
Total: 776,000+

North Korea:
215,000 dead,
303,000 wounded,
120,000 MIA or POW
China
(Chinese estimate):
114,000 killed in combat
34,000 non-combat deaths
380,000 wounded
21,400 POW
(U.S. estimate):
400,000+ dead
486,000 wounded
21,000 POW
Soviet Union:
282 dead
Total: 1,190,000-1,577,000+

Total civilians killed/wounded: 2.5 Million (est.)
South Korea: 990,968
373,599 killed
229,625 wounded
387,744 abducted/missing
North Korea: 1,550,000 (est.)

133 men received the Medal of Honor in this conflict. To read their stories, go here.