In June 1950 the North Koreans invaded South Korea. This book recounts these military operations, the slogging war on the ground as well as the UN naval superiority and the importance of air power. It also explains the diplomatic background of international relations between China and the West, the communist propaganda in the north, the issue of prisoners-of-war, the talks leading to armistice and the creation of the demilitarized zone. The war enabled the UN to act in an official capacity to defend a state under military attack , the only time during the Cold War it did so. But it did not enhance the reputation of the UN for resolving international disputes.