HISET Social Studies Practice

What were the main adversaries in the Korean War?

1. North Korea and the Soviet Union

2. North Korea and South Korea

3. South Korea and China

4. The U.S. and Vietnam

The correct answer is: North Korea and South Korea

The main adversaries in the Korean War were North Korea and South Korea. This conflict arose after World War II, when Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into two separate governments: a communist regime in the North, backed by the Soviet Union and later China, and a democratic regime in the South, supported by the United States and other Western nations. The war broke out in 1950 when North Korean forces, with the support of communist allies, invaded South Korea. The U.S. intervened on behalf of South Korea under the auspices of the United Nations. The Korean War lasted until 1953, resulting in a stalemate that solidified the division of the Korean Peninsula, which exists to this day. The other options refer to nations and conflicts that were not central to the Korean War itself. While the Soviet Union played a role in supporting North Korea, it was not a direct adversary in the fighting. Similarly, while China supported North Korea, the primary conflict was between the two Koreas. Additionally, the U.S. and Vietnam refer to a separate and distinct conflict, the Vietnam War, which occurred later in the 20th century.