Division
The current division of the Korean peninsula is the result of decisions taken at the end of World War II. In 1910, Japan annexed Korea, and ruled over it until its defeat in World War II. The Korean independence officially occurred on 1 December 1943, when the United States, China, and Great Britain signed the Cairo Conference, which stated, “The aforesaid three powers, mindful of the enslavement of the people of Korea, are determined that “in due course” Korea shall become free and independent.” In 1945, the United Nations developed plans for trusteeship administration of Korea.
At midnight on 10 August 1945, two Army lieutenant colonels arbitrarily selected the 38th parallel as the dividing line, and the division of the peninsula into military occupation zones was agreed by the two superpowers — a northern zone administered by the Soviet Union and a southern zone administered by the United States. This was not originally intended to result in a long-lasting partition, but Cold War politics resulted in the establishment of two separate governments in the two zones in 1948 and rising tensions prevented cooperation. The desire of many Koreans for a peaceful unification was ended when the Korean War broke out in 1950. In June 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea with Joseph Stalin giving the green light and Mao Zedong's agreement to support DPRK as backup troop, beginning the Korean War. After three years of fighting that involved China, the Soviet Union, and the United Nations led by the U.S., the war ended with an Armistice Agreement at approximately the same boundary. The two countries never signed a peace treaty.
Read more about this topic: Korean Reunification
Famous quotes containing the word division:
“Affection, indulgence, and humor alike are powerless against the instinct of children to rebel. It is essential to their minds and their wills as exercise is to their bodies. If they have no reasons, they will invent them, like nations bound on war. It is hard to imagine families limp enough always to be at peace. Wherever there is character there will be conflict. The best that children and parents can hope for is that the wounds of their conflict may not be too deep or too lasting.”
—New York State Division of Youth Newsletter (20th century)
“God and the Devil are an effort after specialization and the division of labor.”
—Samuel Butler (1835–1902)
“Don’t order any black things. Rejoice in his memory; and be radiant: leave grief to the children. Wear violet and purple.... Be patient with the poor people who will snivel: they don’t know; and they think they will live for ever, which makes death a division instead of a bond.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)