05/07/2026
CHRONOLOGY OF POLICY AND INTELLIGENCE MATTERS CONCERNING UNACCOUNTED FOR U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL AT THE END OF THE KOREAN CONFLICT AND DURING THE COLD WAR.
Prepared by the Office of Senator Bob Smith Vice-Chairman, Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs November 10, 1992
June 25, 1950 -- North Korea, at the direction of President Kim
Il Sung crosses the 38th parallel invading South Korea, beginning the Korean Conflict.
June 27, 1950 -- The United Nations Security Council passes Resolution 83 recommending that Member States furnish assistance to the Republic of Korea (South Korea). U.S. Air Forces are immediately committed.
July 7, 1950 -- The United Nations Security Council passes Resolution 84 recommending that the military forces provided by Member States be made available to a Unified Command under the United States, and authorizing that Command to use the United Nations flag at its discretion in the course of its operation. U.S. and member nation ground forces are immediately committed under the command of U.S. General Douglas MacArthur.
October 2, 1950 -- In a telegram to Stalin in the Soviet Union, China's Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong states "we have decided to send part of the armed forces into Korea, under the title of Volunteer Army, to do combat with the forces of America and to assist our Korean comrades. We recognize this course of action as necessary."
October 13, 1950 -- In a telegram to China's Prime Minister Zhou Enlai, then in Moscow seeking Stalin's support, Mao states, " •.we unanimously believe that having our troops enter Korea is more advantageous ... if we do not send troops, allowing the enemy to press to the Yalu border and the arrogance of reactionaries at home to grow, this will be disadvantageous to all sides. Above all, it will be most disadvantageous to Manchuria; all of the South Manchurian electricity will be threatened.`
November 24, 1950 -- By this date, the North Koreans are driven northward by the UN Member State forces under General MacArthur and eventually back to the Yalu River (the boundary between China and North Korea).
November 26, 1950 -- A large Communist Chinese army, under Mao's directive, invades the north in support of the North Koreans and help them drive the UN forces south after much bitter fighting. Thousands of Americans are killed, wounded, and captured during this Communist offensive.
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