China joins and the war stalls

Chinese troops saved North Korea from defeat in late 1950, and by 1951 the war had become a stalemate near the old line.

As UN forces advanced through North Korea towards the Chinese border, Mao feared losing a communist neighbour and having hostile troops next to China. Chinese forces entered in October 1950 and launched major attacks later that autumn. They drove UN forces back and saved North Korea from defeat. But saving the North did not give China and North Korea the strength to conquer the South.

By 1951, the front line had settled roughly near the old dividing line. This was a stalemate: neither side could easily win, though heavy fighting went on. Attacking China itself might break the deadlock, but it risked a much bigger war involving the USSR. Truman refused this escalation, or widening of the war.

So talks about a ceasefire, a halt to fighting, took place while battles continued. Wanting talks did not mean the two sides agreed on terms, so talks dragged on for two years.

The USSR supplied equipment and secret air support; Soviet pilots' role was hidden. A proxy war is one where rival outside powers compete by backing opposing forces. That describes part of the Korean War, because the USA and USSR backed opposing Korean sides without openly fighting each other. But it is not the whole story. American and Chinese troops fought each other directly, and Korean leaders pursued their own aims.

October 1950

Chinese forces enter the war.

Stalemate, from 1951

Front near the 38th parallel; neither side can win.

Proxy war

Big powers back opposing sides instead of fighting openly.