This volume provides an overview of the origins, nature and aftermath of the war that was fought in the Korean peninsula between 1950 and 1953. Attention is focused particularly on the first year of the war, which witnessed profound variations in the fortunes of both sides. This includes the initial North Korean attack, China's dramatic entry into the war, and the controversy surrounding the conduct and dismissal of General MacArthur. Lowe also discusses why the signing of an armistice in July 1953 failed to secure a full peace settlement. He brings his discussion right up to date with the developments in Korea since the death of Kim Il Sung in 1994.