There are many tragic elements of the Korean War, such thousands of casualties from various nations, including China, the United States, and of course Korea. Another tragic element is the legacy of suffering that has been left in the North Korean regime, where the people are some of the most subjugated and impoverished in the world, and the huge international security challenge that the nuclearization of this country poses.
A particularly tragic element, however, and one that is unfortunately familiar in the history of United States conflicts since WWII, is that US participation may have resulted in a much greater loss of life. Our participation, specifically pushing past the 38th parallel further into North Korea, led to a direct involvement by China, which drastically escalated the war and lead to many more deaths. Ironically, the war ended with the same boundary established as when it began, with the 38th parallel serving as a border between the Koreas.
