The Korean War

PBS America: Wednesday 17 – Thursday 18 January at 8.35pm

The conflict itself has largely faded into obscurity, yet it cost the lives of millions, and its profound impact on international relations lingers on into the 21st century. Technically, it has never ended.

Victory over Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan had redrawn the geopolitical map. No longer preoccupied with fighting a common enemy, East and West had diverged into two increasingly antagonistic power blocs. The Korean War of 1950-53 would see this ideological clash play out on the battlefield, testing the resolve of the newly formed United Nations.

Offering multiple perspectives, this two-part documentary sheds new light on one of the most perilous episodes in post-war history, examining how and why its legacy – a tense stalemate – continues to this day.