Glossary

A
Acheson, Dean	Secretary of State for the United States
Aggression	The attack on South Korea was described as an act of aggression by the USA and the capitalist states, and was used to justify sending UN troops to defend South Korea.
Armistice	Discussions began at Kaesong, but were suspended by the Communists when the UN forces violated the neutral zone. Talks recommenced and were agreed at Panmunjom 27 July 1953.
Attlee, Clement	British (Labour) Prime Minister 1945-1951
B
Brainwashing	Both opposing sides claimed that their troops, who were held as prisoners of war, were being abused by the enemy. Claims included brainwashing- the process of using propaganda and other methods to influence thought and convince someone to accept certain ideologies.
C
Ceasefire	A suspension of military engagement.
Chou En Lai	The Premier of the People's Republic of China.
Churchill, Sir Winston	British Prime Minister (Conservative) 1951-1955.
D
Demarcation line	Line separating the opposing forces at the peace settlement.
E
Eisenhower, General Dwight D.	American President from 1953, he campaigned up to and during the November of 1952, and was sworn into office in January 1953.
G
Guerrilla warfare	A form of military action based on the use of small units which attack, then disappear into the surrounding territory before re-emerging to attack again.
I
Inchon	Site of a successful sea-borne assault by US and UN troops on 15 September 1951.
J
Japanese rule	Japan held Korea as an overseas territory from 1905-1945.
K
Kim Il Sung	Leader of Communist North Korea.
Korean People's Army (KPA)	The army of communist North Korea.
M
MacArthur, General Douglas	American General and UN Commander until relieved by US President Truman.
Mao Tse Tung	Leader of The People's Republic of China.
MiG	Russian designed and built fighter aircraft used by the Chinese and North Korean Forces.
O
Operation Killer	US battlefield operation in Korea in 1951.
Operation Ratkiller	A US anti-guerrilla warfare campaign during the later parts of the war.
P
Parallel, The 38th	The line of latitude which was used as a border between North and South Korea, and which became symbolic of the divide between Communism and Capitalism.
Peng Teh-huai	Commander of the Chinese People's Volunteers (Chinese Army) in Korea.
POW	Prisoner of war, a member of enemy military forces captured and detained for the duration of the war.
Pusan perimeter	The defensive area around Pusan in the South of Korea held by the UN forces in 1950 when they were almost swept into the sea by the Communist forces.
Pyongyang	Capital of North Korea.
R
Refugees	People who have fled their homes to escape from a disaster or war because they fear they will be killed or suffer if they stay at home.
Republic of Korea	The South of Korea.
Ridway, Lieutenant General Matthew	US General, succeeded MacArthur as Commander of the UN forces in Korea.
Rhee, Syngman	President of South Korea.
S
Seoul	Capital of South Korea.
T
T-34	A Russian tank, used by the Communist Northern forces as a battlefield weapon.
Truman, Harry S.	President of the United States 1945 to January 1953.
U
UN	The United Nations, an international organisation formed from the sovereign states of the world, with a number of stated aims including world peace and security.
UN Resolution	The United Nations debated what action, if any, to take when on 25 June 1950 the North Korean Army crossed the 38th Parallel into South Korea. As the USSR was absent from the Security Council, the UN adopted a resolution allowing US and UN forces to operate in Korea in defence of the South.
V
Voluntary Repatriation	The United Nations insisted that only prisoners of war who wished to be 'sent back home' would be repatriated. Out of 132,000 Communist POWs 70,000 were willing to be sent back to the North or China.
W
War crimes	Acts during war time which cannot be justified, even as part of the 'allowable' death and destruction of war, and which break the 'rules' of the what is considered a humane and acceptable way to treat an enemy.
Y
Yalu River	The waterway between China and North Korea, seen as a strategic barrier. When it was crossed by US aircraft and the area was bombed China claimed that the USA was intending to invade their territory.