Korean War Visual Timeline
The video below displays a visual record of the main events that occurred during the Korean War.
Return to the Battle of Kapyong
The Korean War Begins - 25 July 1950
- 25 July 1950: the North Korean People's Army cross the 38th parallel and invade South Korea
- 28 July 1950: Seoul is captured
North Korean Advance - 29 June - 14 Sept 1951
- South Korean and UN forces retreat south
- US and Australian forces engaged in combat
- 7 July 1951: US General MacArthur appointed Commander-in-Chief, UN Command
- August - Sept 1951: UN Forces pushed south into the "Pusan perimeter", where defensive lines are established
UN Counter Offensive Begins, Inchon Landings: 15 Sept 1950
- 15 Sept 1950: General MacArthur orders a daring amphibious assault on the port of Inchon
Breakout from Pusan Perimeter: 16 Sept - 24 Nov 1950
- 16 Sept 1950: UN forces breakout from the Pusan Perimeter and push north
- 28 Sept 1950: Seoul recaptured by UN forces
North Korea Invaded
- 1 Oct 1950: South Korean forces cross the border into North Korea, signalling a new phase to the war
- 19 Oct 1950: The city of Pyongyang is captured
- 24 Oct 1950: US General MacArthur gives permission for UN forces to advance on the Yalu river, the border between North Korea and China
- 24 Nov 1950: UN forces reach the limit of their most northerly advance
Chinese Intervention
- Alarmed by the advance of UN forces into North Korea, the Chinese begin secretly moving troops across the Yalu River in October 1950. On the evening of 25 November, nine Chinese armies are ordered to attack UN forces
China invades North Korea and attacks UN Forces: 25 Nov 1950 - 24 Jan 1951
- On 25 Nov 1950, nine Chinese Armies totalling over 300,000 men attack UN forces from the north
- 27 Nov 1950, US Divisions are forced to retreat south
- 5 Dec 1950, Pyongyang abandoned by UN forces as the Chinese recapture the city
- 12-24 Dec 1950, UN forces, in danger of being overrun, are evacuated by sea from North Korea to the Pusan Peninsula
- 3-4 Jan 1951, Chinese forces cross the 38th parallel into South Korea
- 3 Jan 1951, Seoul is evacuated
- 24 Jan 1951, UN forces finally halt the Chinese advance
UN Counterattack 25 January - 22 April 1951
- 25 Jan 1951: The UN launches "Operation Thunderbolt" in an effort to drive the Chinese back across the 38th parallel
- 18 Feb 1951: 2nd Battalion PPCLI joins the 27th Commonwealth Brigade
- 15 March 1951: Seoul recaptured by the US 8th Army
- 11 April 1951: General MacArthur is replaced by US General Ridgway
The Chinese Spring Offensive 22 April - May 1951
- 22 April 1951: The Chinese Spring Offensive
- 23-25 April 1951: The Battle of Kapyong
Stalemate and CeasefireMay - 31 October 1951
- May 1951: UN forces again push north across the 38th parallel
- 10 July 1951: Peace negotiations begin, although fierce fighting continues
- 31 October 1951: The demarkation line established. This line remains essentially unchanged for the next two years
- 12 May 1952: General Mark Clark takes over from US General Ridgeway
- 27 July 1953: The Ceasefire is signed, and the formal Demiliterized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea is created. It remains the most heavily militarized border in the world.