Editing History of North Korea (section)

== Korean War (1950–1953) ==
{{Main|Korean War}}
{{See also|North Korean occupation of South Korea}}
[[File:Korean War bombing Wonsan.jpg|thumb|left|US planes bombing [[Wonsan]], North Korea, 1951]]
[[File:Victory Day Rehearsal, Pyongyang, 2012.jpg|thumb|2012 rehearsal in Pyongyang for [[Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War|Victory Day]], marking the end of the war]]
The consolidation of [[Syngman Rhee]]'s government in the South with American military support and the suppression of the October 1948 [[Jeju uprising|insurrection]] ended North Korean hopes that a revolution in the South could reunify Korea, and from early 1949 Kim Il Sung sought Soviet and [[People's Republic of China|Chinese]] support for a military campaign to reunify the country by force. The withdrawal of most U.S. forces from South Korea in June 1949 left the southern government defended only by a weak and inexperienced South Korean army. The southern régime also had to deal with a citizenry of uncertain loyalty. The North Korean army, by contrast, had benefited from the [[Soviet Union]]'s WWII-era equipment, and had a core of hardened veterans who had fought either as anti-Japanese guerrillas or alongside the Chinese Communists.<ref>Bruce Cumings, ''The Origins of the Korean War, Vol. 1: Liberation and the Emergence of Separate Regimes, 1945–1947'', Princeton University Press</ref> In 1949 and 1950, Kim traveled to Moscow with the South Korean Communist leader [[Pak Hon-yong]] to raise support for a war of reunification.<ref>{{cite book| title = The Making of Modern Korea | last = Buzo | first = Adrian | year = 2002| publisher = Routledge|  location = London | isbn = 978-0-415-23749-9 |page=72}}</ref>

Initially [[Joseph Stalin]] rejected Kim Il Sung's requests for permission to invade the South, but in late 1949 the [[Communist Party of China|Communist]] victory in China and the development of Soviet nuclear weapons made him re-consider Kim's proposal. In January 1950, after China's [[Mao Zedong]] indicated that the [[People's Republic of China]] would send troops and other support to Kim, Stalin approved an invasion.<ref>Compare: {{Cite book| last = Martin | first = Bradley K. | title = Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader: North Korea and the Kim Dynasty | publisher = Macmillan | year = 2007  | pages = 66–67| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qoZx6hOCNukC| isbn = 9781429906999| quote = In fact, as a condition for granting his approval of the invasion, Stalin insisted that Kim get Mao's backing. Kim visited Mao in May of 1950. Mao was inwardly reluctant{{nbsp}}... But with China's Soviet aid at stake, Mao signed on. Only then did Stalin give his final approval. }}</ref> The Soviets provided limited support in the form of advisers who helped the North Koreans as they planned the operation, and Soviet military instructors to train some of the Korean units. However, from the very beginning Stalin made it clear that the Soviet Union would avoid a direct confrontation with the U.S. over Korea and would not commit ground forces even in case of major military crisis.<ref>{{Cite news |last= Weathersby |first = Kathryn |year=2002 |title="Should We Fear This?" Stalin and the Danger of War with America |publisher= Cold War International History Project: Working Paper No. 39 |url=http://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/should-we-fear-stalin-and-the-danger-war-america |page=10}}</ref> The stage was set for a civil war between the two rival governments on the Korean peninsula. For over a year before the outbreak of war, the two sides had engaged in a series of bloody clashes along the 38th parallel, especially in the [[Ongjin, South Hwanghae|Ongjin]] area on the west coast.<ref>{{cite book | title = Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History| last = Cumings| first = Bruce| author-link = Bruce Cumings| year = 2005| publisher = [[W. W. Norton & Company]]| location = New York| isbn = 978-0-393-32702-1 |pages=247–253}}</ref> On 25 June 1950, claiming to be responding to a South Korean assault on Ongjin, the Northern forces launched an amphibious offensive all along the parallel.<ref>{{cite book | title = Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History| last = Cumings| first = Bruce| author-link = Bruce Cumings| year = 2005| publisher = [[W. W. Norton & Company]]| location = New York| isbn = 978-0-393-32702-1 |pages=260–263}}</ref> Due to a combination of surprise and military superiority, the Northern forces quickly captured the capital [[Seoul]], forcing Syngman Rhee and his government to flee. By mid-July North Korean troops had overwhelmed the South Korean and allied American units and forced them back to a defensive line in south-east South Korea known as the Pusan Perimeter. During its brief occupation of southern Korea, the DPRK regime initiated radical social change, which included the nationalisation of industry, land reform, and the restoration of the People's Committees.<ref>{{cite book | title = Korea since 1850 | last1 = Lone |  first1 = Stewart| last2 = McCormack | first2 = Gavan | author-link2 = Gavan McCormack | publisher = Longman Cheshire | location = Melbourne | year = 1993 | page=112 }}</ref> According to the captured US General [[William F. Dean]], "the civilian attitude seemed to vary between enthusiasm and passive acceptance".<ref>{{cite book | title = Korea since 1850 | last1 = Lone |  first1 = Stewart| last2 = McCormack | first2 = Gavan | author-link2 = Gavan McCormack | publisher = Longman Cheshire | location = Melbourne | year = 1993 | page=111 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | title = General Dean's Story | last1 = Dean | first1 = William F Dean | last2 = Worden | first2 = William L | year = 1954 | publisher = Viking Press| page=87}}</ref>

The United Nations condemned North Korea's actions and approved an American-led intervention force to defend South Korea. In September, UN forces landed at [[Inchon]] and retook Seoul. Under the leadership of US General [[Douglas MacArthur]], UN forces pushed north, reaching the Chinese border. According to [[Bruce Cumings]], the North Korean forces were not routed, but managed a strategic retreat into the mountainous interior and into neighboring Manchuria.<ref>{{cite book | title = Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History| last = Cumings| first = Bruce| author-link = Bruce Cumings| year = 2005| publisher = [[W. W. Norton & Company]]| location = New York| isbn = 978-0-393-32702-1 |pages=278–281}}</ref> Kim Il Sung's government re-established itself in a stronghold in [[Chagang Province]].<ref>{{cite book | title = Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History| last = Cumings| first = Bruce| author-link = Bruce Cumings| year = 2005| publisher = [[W. W. Norton & Company]]| location = New York| isbn = 978-0-393-32702-1 |page=280}}</ref> In late November, Chinese forces entered the war and pushed the UN forces back, retaking [[Pyongyang]] in December 1950 and Seoul in January 1951. According to American historian Bruce Cumings, the Korean People's Army played an equal part in this counterattack.<ref>{{cite book | title = Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History| last = Cumings| first = Bruce| author-link = Bruce Cumings| year = 2005| publisher = [[W. W. Norton & Company]]| location = New York| isbn = 978-0-393-32702-1 |page=288}}</ref> UN forces managed to retake Seoul for South Korea. The war essentially became a bloody stalemate for the next two years. American bombing included the use of [[napalm]] against populated areas and the destruction of dams and dykes, which caused devastating floods.<ref>{{cite book | title = Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History| last = Cumings| first = Bruce| author-link = Bruce Cumings| year = 2005| publisher = [[W. W. Norton & Company]]| location = New York| isbn = 978-0-393-32702-1 |pages=289, 296}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | title = Korea since 1850 | last1 = Lone |  first1 = Stewart| last2 = McCormack | first2 = Gavan | author-link2 = Gavan McCormack | publisher = Longman Cheshire | location = Melbourne | year = 1993 | page=118 }}</ref> China and North Korea also [[Allegations of biological warfare in the Korean War|alleged the US was deploying biological weapons]].<ref>{{cite book | title = Korea since 1850 | last1 = Lone |  first1 = Stewart| last2 = McCormack | first2 = Gavan | author-link2 = Gavan McCormack | publisher = Longman Cheshire | location = Melbourne | year = 1993 | pages=115–118 }}</ref> As a result of the bombing, almost every substantial building and much of the infrastructure in North Korea was destroyed.<ref>{{cite book | title = Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History| last = Cumings| first = Bruce| author-link = Bruce Cumings| year = 2005| publisher = [[W. W. Norton & Company]]| location = New York| isbn = 978-0-393-32702-1 |pages=297–298}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last = Jager | first = Sheila Miyoshi | title = Brothers at War – The Unending Conflict in Korea | year = 2013 | publisher = Profile Books | location = London | isbn = 978-1-84668-067-0|pages=237–242}}</ref> The North Koreans responded by building homes, schools, hospitals, and factories underground.<ref>{{cite book | title = Korea's Place in the Sun: A Modern History| last = Cumings| first = Bruce| author-link = Bruce Cumings| year = 2005| publisher = [[W. W. Norton & Company]]| location = New York| isbn = 978-0-393-32702-1 |pages=295–296}}</ref> Economic output in 1953 had fallen by 75-90% compared with 1949.<ref name="auto1"/>

While the bombing continued, armistice negotiations, which had commenced in July 1951, wore on. North Korea's lead negotiator was General [[Nam Il]]. The [[Korean Armistice Agreement]] was signed on 27 July 1953. A ceasefire followed, but there was no peace treaty, and hostilities continued at a lower intensity.<ref>{{cite book | title = Korea since 1850 | last1 = Lone |  first1 = Stewart| last2 = McCormack | first2 = Gavan | author-link2 = Gavan McCormack | publisher = Longman Cheshire | location = Melbourne | year = 1993 | pages=122–125 }}</ref>