Beginning just days after the first shots of the Korean War, in the summer of 1950, nearly 2 million Americans embarked on a daring crusade across the Pacific to halt the spread of communism in Asia and restore dignity and independence to the people of South Korea. This National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, we pay tribute to every American hero who ventured to unfamiliar lands to face some of the most gruesome combat in the history of our country—and we renew our resolve that forces of freedom will always prevail over tyranny and oppression.
Just 5 years after the end of World War II, what is today known as the “Forgotten War” began on June 25, 1950, when the North Korean People’s Army crossed the 38th parallel in a full-scale invasion of South Korea. In response, legions of American troops were commissioned to repel communist aggression on the Korean Peninsula, defend our national interests, and maintain America’s status as communism’s most formidable enemy in the Western world—leading to more than 3 years of brutal and relentless warfare.
Starting that June, American soldiers endured 38 months of unimaginable horrors and merciless conditions against North Korean and Chinese combatants prepared to fight to the death. From Heartbreak Ridge to Pork Chop Hill to the Chosin Reservoir, United States service members withstood incessant waves of attacks, treacherous terrain, frigid winters, and oppressive heat—culminating in one of the bloodiest wars in human history. In the end, the cost was staggering. More than 32,000 Americans perished in combat, nearly 93,000 were wounded, and thousands more were captured or missing in action.
Yet, on July 27, 1953, the grit, resolve, and indominable spirit of our warfighters won the day when the United Nations, North Korea, and China signed the Korean Armistice Agreement, establishing a ceasefire and dealing a crippling blow to the communist movement.
More than seven decades after the armistice was signed at Panmunjom, a demarcation line separating North and South Korea remains at the demilitarized zone on the 38th parallel. During my first term in office, I was proud to become the first sitting President to cross this demilitarized zone into North Korea. My first Administration also maintained a maximum pressure campaign and enforced sanctions on North Korea to negotiate denuclearization, the release of American hostages, and the return of the remains of American heroes.
Although the evils of communism still persist in Asia, American and South Korean forces remain united in an ironclad alliance to this day. Guided by my Administration’s foreign policy of peace through strength, we remain steadfastly committed to safeguarding the Korean Peninsula and working together for the noble causes of safety, stability, prosperity, and peace.
This National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, we honor the patriots who fought and died in Korea so that freedom might endure both on our land and beyond our shores. We vow to rebuild our military, support our veterans, and stand strong against forces of tyranny. Above all, we proudly remember every American hero who shed their blood to defend our home, our heritage, and our glorious way of life. Their valiant legacy will never be forgotten.
