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The Causes Of The Korean War

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Korea existed under Japanese control from 1910 until the end of World War II in 1945. After the war, the Korean Peninsula was divided into two states along the 38th parallel. The Soviet union controlled the communist north while the United States controlled the nationalist and anti-communist south. Soviet general Terentii Shtykov established the Provisional People’s Committee for North Korea in 1946 and Kim Il-sung became chairman. Shtykov broke North Korea's stratified class system, nationalized critical industries, and as a result many fled to the south. Later that year, South Korean citizens resisted the rule of the Allied Military Government and continued to resist despite violent opposition until they declared their statehood in May 1948. Shortly after this, The Democratic People's Republic of Korea was established, and Kim Il-sung became the premier leader. Shtykov suspected President Syngman Rhee of South Korea was planning an attack on North Korea, and so with the help of Jospeh Stalin, North Korea launched an attack on South Korea on June 25th, 1950. This started the Korean War, which was essentially a proxy war between America and the Soviets. The United Nations force (led by the United States) assisted South Korea in the war. China assisted North Korea, and would continue to follow this pattern of allying with North Korea until modern day. The war ended on July 27th, 1953. An agreement was signed that restored the original boundary along the 38th parallel. The

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