A week ago, President Trump had a dispute with Ukrainian President Zelensky during their meeting at the White House. Trump wants immediate peace, as he does not want to see thousands of Ukrainian and Russian soldiers killed each day. Zelensky, however, insists on continuing the war, believing it is the only path to Ukraine’s security.
European leaders and U.S. Democrats support Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy in continuing the war with Russia, citing national security, democratic values, and global stability concerns. Meanwhile, many people in the U.S. and European countries back President Trump’s call for immediate peace negotiations. Simply put, the world is divided into two camps: those advocating for a military solution and those pushing for a peace settlement.
Why We Should Revisit the Korean War
Today’s narrative about why Ukraine should continue fighting Russia shares some similarities with the arguments used by the Chinese Communist regime to justify its aggressive actions during the Korean War.
I grew up in China and spent most of my childhood with my grandparents. In my grandpa’s village, there was a man with only one eye who walked with a limp. My grandma told me he had been wounded in the Korean War. He often attended village meetings organized by the local Communist Party secretary. During these gatherings, he would share stories of how he lost his eye and then lead the crowd in chanting slogans condemning American imperialism. The villagers admired him as a hero and harbored deep resentment toward the United States.
In the late 1980s, while studying English literature at Beijing University, I took an American History course taught by Dr. Moore, an American professor hired by the university. One day, Dr. Moore discussed the Korean War, explaining how the conflict escalated and resulted in heavy casualties. She cited research indicating that the United States had sought a ceasefire, but China’s entry into the war in October 1950 became a critical turning point in its escalation. The moment she said this, the typically quiet classroom in China erupted into a heated debate.
A student, an activist who had joined the Communist Party at 17, stood up and yelled at Dr. Moore. He insisted that the United States intended to invade China, leaving China no choice but to send troops to North Korea for defense. He looked very emotional. He raised his voice, arguing that American imperialism had driven the U.S. government to deploy large military forces to the Korean Peninsula, forcing China to respond to the invasion.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has effectively indoctrinated people to think in binary terms—either love or hate, friend or enemy. A common saying reflects this mindset: “When your friends come to your house, you treat them with a feast; when your enemies come, you kill them.” This was a song Chinese children learned in kindergarten. Following this logic, we overlooked humanity and the value of human lives.
The Korean War, fought from 1950 to 1953, resulted in heavy military casualties, with an estimated 1.2 million soldiers killed. This included more than 36,000 Americans, over 180,000 Chinese, and thousands from South Korea, North Korea, and other United Nations (UN) forces. The military solution was brutal and failed to bring lasting peace to the Korean people.
Understanding the Timeline of the Korean War
When I was in China, government censorship and propaganda kept me from accessing the truth. Now, living in the United States, I have the freedom to explore the history of the Korean War and uncover what really happened. After studying different sources, I compiled the following timeline of the Korean War:
- 1910 — 1945. Following World War II, Korea, previously under Japanese colonial rule, was liberated and divided at the 38th parallel. The Soviet Union occupied the north, establishing a communist regime, while the United States supported a democratic government in the south. This division, intended as temporary, solidified into two separate states by 1948: the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the north and the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the south.
- 1948 — 1949. Tensions escalated with border clashes and political instability, including the Yosu-Sunchon Rebellion in South Korea in October 1948 and northward assaults by ROK officers in summer 1949.
- October 1, 1949. The CCP Chairman, Mao Zedong, announced the establishment of the People’s Republic of China and started the Communist regime.
- June 25, 1950. Supported by the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin after gaining consent from Mao Zedong in May 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950. This invasion, aiming to unify Korea under communist rule, nearly conquered the peninsula, prompting a robust response from the United States and the United Nations.
- June 27, 1950. President Harry Truman ordered U.S. air and naval forces to support South Korea, with ground forces following shortly after on July 1, 1950. He designated General Douglas MacArthur as the commander of the United Nations Command (UNC), a position formalized on July 8, 1950, to lead the multinational effort. The initial goal, as outlined in UN Security Council Resolution 83, was to repel the North Korean invasion and restore peace, effectively returning to the 38th parallel, the pre-war boundary between North and South Korea.
- September 15, 1950. General Douglas McArthur leads UN forces in a surprise attack on the South Korean port city of Inchon and scores a major victory over the North Korean army. This pivotal action is credited with allowing the recapture of Seoul and turning the war around.
- October 19, 1950. The CCP Chairman, Mao Zedong, claimed that a U.S. presence near its border, especially as UN forces approached the Yalu River, was a threat to China’s security. He deployed the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army (PVA), with the first troops crossing the Yalu River in October 1950, initially numbering around 260,000 soldiers. This decision, driven by security concerns and socialist alliance with North Korea, introduced a large and determined force, leading to significant battles like the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in November–December 1950, where UN forces faced severe casualties in sub-zero temperatures.
- July 27, 1953. The Korean War ended with an armistice signed on July 27, 1953, establishing a cease-fire and the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The agreement was signed by the UN Command, China, and North Korea. Notably, South Korea did not sign the armistice, reflecting its desire for unification, and no formal peace treaty was signed, meaning the war remains technically unresolved.
History — A Good Place to Visit, But A Difficult Place to Live
My pastor in Ohio used to say, “History is a good place to visit, but a difficult place to live.” In examining the timeline of the Korean War, it becomes evident how deeply historical events shape modern perspectives on war and peace. The conflict, fueled by ideological divisions and foreign interventions, resulted in immense suffering and long-lasting consequences for both Koreas and the world.
Having lived under government censorship in China, I was once unable to access the full truth about the war. Now, with the freedom to study history from multiple perspectives, I have come to see that war, often justified in the name of security or ideology, brings devastating consequences. The Korean War, like many conflicts throughout history, was marked by missed opportunities for peace and the tragic loss of countless lives.
Understanding this history reinforces the importance of advocating for peaceful solutions over military aggression. When nations and leaders prioritize diplomacy and dialogue, they help prevent history from repeating itself. The lessons of the Korean War should serve as a reminder that true security comes not from endless battles, but from efforts to foster understanding, cooperation, and lasting peace.
Communist regimes like China, unfortunately, always prioritize military aggression over peaceful solutions due to their dictatorial nature. Dictators often wage wars in the name of the people, but in reality, they have little regard for human lives.