1950-1953 AD
The Korean War (1950-1953) was the first major military conflict of the Cold War, fought between communist North Korea (backed by China and the Soviet Union) and South Korea (backed by the United Nations, primarily the United States). The war began when North Korean forces crossed the 38th parallel on June 25, 1950, and ended in an armistice that left Korea divided much as it is today.
The war killed an estimated 2.5 million people, mostly civilians. The Catholic Church in Korea suffered under communist rule in the north, with priests and bishops imprisoned or executed. In the south, the Church provided humanitarian aid to refugees and worked to rebuild communities devastated by the fighting.
Pope Pius XII supported the United Nations intervention and called for peace throughout the conflict. The war established the pattern of Cold War proxy conflicts that would claim millions of lives in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Key Sources: UN Security Council Resolution 82; Pope Pius XII's addresses on Korea; Korean Catholic Bishops' Conference records