1894-1895: Sino-Japanese War February 1904:
Russo-Japanese War begins September 1905: Treaty of Portsmouth
(ends Russo-Japanese War)
1905: Japan makes Korea a protectorate
1910: Japan makes Korea a formal colony.
1917: Russian Revolution.
Japanese take some of Russia's Eastern Siberian territory.
1931-1932: Mostly of their own volition,
Japan's Kwantung Army occupies Chinese Manchuria and sets up
a puppet state of "Manchuko".
America wants to return Manchuria to the Chinese;
this is one reason behind Pacific fighting in World War II.
1937: Japan declares war on China.
February 1945: Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin meet at Yalta.
July 1945: Roosevelt dies, succeeded by Truman,
who represents the US at Potsdam.
Truman "gets tough" on communism; Stalin grabs territory.
August 10, 1945: After atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and
Nagasaki, the Japanese offer surrender in World War II.
Russian troops enter Korea.
August 28, 1945: After reaching the 38th Parallel of Korea,
Russian troops stop.
October 20, 1945: Syngman Rhee makes first public appearance
in South Korea after years of exile.
Summer 1947: Marshall Plan announced.
September 1947: Congress/JCS (Joint Chiefs of Staff) want to get out of
Korea.
September 1947: Cominform (Communist Information Bureau) founded
in Soviet Union.
November 14, 1947: UN passes American resolution calling for free elections
in Korea.
May 10, 1948: Korean Election Day.
June 24, 1948: Berlin Blockade
September 9, 1948: In North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(PRK) proclaimed.
January 12, 1949: Dean Acheson speech to National Press Club Says
South Korea not a vital part of US defense perimeter in Asia.
January 19, 1949: Korean Aid Bill fails to pass the House of Representatives. April 4, 1949: NATO Pact signed
September 1949: "Joe One"; Soviets test their first A-bomb--
the arms race begins.
October 2, 1949: Mao Zedong proclaims PRC (People's Republic of China).
January 14, 1950: Ho Chi Minh proclaims DRV
(Democratic Republic of Vietnam).
April 25, 1950: Truman approves NSC-68
May 30, 1950: In South Korea, Republic Of Korea elections.
Many conservatives ousted by moderates.
June 25, 1950: North Korea crosses the 38th Parallel, invading South Korea.
June 25, 1950: First Blair House meeting.
June 26, 1950: North Korea's tanks reach the outskirts of Seoul.
June 27, 1950: Truman commits US Naval and Air support to South Korea.
June 27, 1950: American Delegate asks UN to furnish assistance to ROK
(Republic of Korea) to restore international peace.
June 29, 1950: General MacArthur flies to South Korean headquarters
at Suwon.
June 30, 1950: Truman and advisers agree to give MacArthur 2 divisions.
July 2, 1950: NKPA (North Korean People's Army) takes Suwon.
July 22, 1950: Communist Chinese attack Nationalist Chinese islands,
Quemoy and Little Quemoy.
July 29, 1950: MacArthur visits Formosa,
home of the Nationalist Chinese defeated by Mao.
August 17, 1950: US announces in UN its goal of a unified,
anti-Communist Korea.
August 27, 1950: US planes accidentally attack Manchurian airfields.
September 11, 1950: Truman approves NSC-81/1.
September 15, 1950: With US/UN/ROK forces pushed back nearly
to the end of the Korean peninsula, MacArthur launches the Inchon Invasion. September 27, 1950: Walker's Eighth Army makes contact with X Corps.
MacArthur gives OK for US forces to cross the 38th Parallel.
September 29, 1950: Syngman Rhee's government ceremonially restored
in reconquered Seoul.
October 9, 1950: US Army crosses 38TH Parallel near Kaesong.
October 15, 1950: Wake Island Meeting
October 19, 1950: US forces occupy Pyongyang
October 24, 1950: MacArthur orders his troops into Korea's northernmost
provinces.
October 25, 1950: South Korean ROK forces annihilated by PRC
(People's Republic of China) forces at Pukchin.
November 1, 1950: First US vs. Communist Chinese fighting
at Unsan
November 3, 1950: UN resolution passed, censuring North Korea for "breach of peace"
November 7, 1950: Congressional Elections in US, seen as a referendum
on Truman's policy.
November 27, 1950: US Marines/Infantry surrounded by Chinese Communist forces at Chosin Reservoir.
November 30, 1950: In press conference, Truman admits US may be considering using A-Bomb.
December 15, 1950: Truman declares a state of national emergency.
January 4, 1951: Ridgway evacuates Seoul, withdraws from Inchon
January 25, 1951: Operation Thunderbolt. US/UN/ROK forces go back on the offensive.
February 1, 1951: UN censures People's Republic of China for "aggression"
February 1951: Operation Killer begun.
March 7, 1951: Ridgway launches Operation Ripper.
March 15, 1951: US/UN/ROK forces retake Seoul.
March 24, 1951: MacArthur unilaterally issues an ultimatum to
the People's Republic of China.
April 4, 1951: Congress endorses NATO, sends Eisenhower
to head unified NATO command.
April 5, 1951: Operation Rugged.
April 5, 1951: Truman dismisses MacArthur from command.
May 3, 1951 to June 25, 1951: Senate Foreign Relations Committee
investigates MacArthur's dismissal.
April 14, 1951: Gen. James Van Fleet assumes tactical command of
Eighth Army.
April 22, 1951: All-out Communist offensive fails to retake Seoul.
May 15, 1951: Another Communist offensive, again fails to take territory.
May 18, 1951: Ridgway launches counteroffensive.
May 18, 1951: UN nations start military goods boycott of the People Republic of China.
May 30, 1951: Operation Piledriver, an offensive against the Iron Triangle,
begins.
June 30, 1951: Ridgway broadcasts first American overture for peace talks.
July 8, 1951: Peace talks begin at Kaesong.
August 19, 1951: Communists accuse UN forces of violating the Kaesong area, suspend the talks.
October 25, 1951: Peace talks resume at Panmunjom.
March 29, 1952: Truman announces he will not run for reelection.
April 11, 1952: Truman relieves Eisenhower of command so he can run
for President.
June 1952: Washington authorizes bombing Korean power plants
on the Yalu river.
July 11, 1952: US air attack on Pyongyang.
August 5, 1952: Rhee wins another clearly rigged election.
November 4, 1952: Eisenhower wins Presidential election in landslide.
November 29, 1952: Eisenhower secretly goes to Korea on fact-finding
mission
February 11, 1953: Eisenhower replaces the frustrated Van Fleet
with Lt. Gen. Maxwell Taylor.
April 16, 1953: Communists attack "Pork Chop Hill"
April 26, 1953: Talks resume at Panmunjom.
June 8, 1953: "Terms of Reference," regulating POW repatriation, signed.
July 19, 1953: Delegates reach agreement at Panmunjom.
July 27, 1953: Peace Treaty signed at Panmunjom. 38th parallel reset
as boundary between communist North and anti-communist South.
Cold War tensions continue unabated.
Gen. Mark W. Clark says he has "the unenviable distinction of being
the first US Army commander to sign an armistice without victory."