The Korean War (1950-1953) was a 3-year conflict between North and South Korea with direct UN/Chinese involvement resulting in an armistice, while the Vietnam War (1955-1975) lasted 20 years with U.S. involvement escalating gradually and ending in communist victory after significant casualties on all sides.
Korean War vs Vietnam War — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
1950-1953 conflict between North Korea (backed by China/USSR) and South Korea (backed by UN/U.S.)
1955-1975 conflict between North Vietnam (communist) and South Vietnam (U.S.-backed) ending in unified communist control
Total Duration. Total Casualties (Military + Civilian). U.S. Military Casualties. Outcome. Primary Combatants. Direct Chinese Military Involvement. Public Support in U.S.
The Korean War and Vietnam War represent fundamentally different Cold War conflicts. The Korean War was a shorter, more internationally sanctioned conflict with clearer military objectives but resulted in stalemate division; the Vietnam War was a prolonged ideological struggle that divided American society, lasted 20 years, and ended in communist triumph. Choose to study the Korean War for understanding Cold War proxy conflicts and international military coalitions; choose Vietnam for examining U.S. foreign policy limitations, domestic dissent, and the costs of extended military intervention.
Korean War: 36,574 | Vietnam War: 58,220
Korean War: 2.5 million | Vietnam War: 3.8 million
Korean War: 2.5+ million | Vietnam War: 3.8+ million
Korean War: 73 years (ended 1953) | Vietnam War: 51 years (ended 1975)
Korean War: North Korea, South Korea, USA, UN forces, USSR, China | Vietnam War: North Vietnam, South Vietnam, USA, USSR, China, France, Australia
Korean War: Stalemate: Armistice maintained, division continues | Vietnam War: Decisive: Communist victory, nation unified
Korean War: Early Cold War period; established UN intervention model | Vietnam War: Later Cold War period; intensified anti-war sentiment
Korean War: Moderate: Conventional warfare, DMZ became ecological preserve | Vietnam War: Severe: 20 million gallons Agent Orange used, ongoing health effects
Korean War: 2.5 million | Vietnam War: 3.5 million
Korean War: 16 nations (UN coalition) | Vietnam War: 2-3 allied support (mainly US-led)
Korean War: 47,000 deaths; 194,297 wounded | Vietnam War: 25,000 deaths; 48,000 wounded
Korean War: 73 years (1953-2026 with ongoing division) | Vietnam War: 0 years (unified under North Vietnam by 1975)
Korean War: Strong bipartisan support throughout conflict | Vietnam War: Highly controversial - major anti-war movement by 1968
Korean War: 2.5 million | Vietnam War: N/A
Korean War: 2.5-3 million | Vietnam War: 3.8-5.3 million
US Financial Cost (2024 Inflation-Adjusted)
Korean War: $380 billion | Vietnam War: $2,200 billion
Korean War: Stalemate ceasefire; South Korean independence preserved | Vietnam War: North Vietnamese military victory; South Vietnam fell 1975
Korean War: 16 UN nations contributed forces; formal UN mandate | Vietnam War: Limited allied support; primarily US and South Vietnamese forces
South Korea GDP Growth Post-War (1960-1980)
Korean War: 9.2% (after ceasefire) | Vietnam War: N/A (territory lost to communism)
Korean War: 3 years (1950-1953) | Vietnam War: 20 years (1955-1975)
Korean War: 36,516 | Vietnam War: 58,220
Korean War: 0.635 million tons | Vietnam War: 7.6 million tons
U.S. Military Expenditure (Inflation-Adjusted 2024)
Korean War: $30 billion | Vietnam War: $168 billion
Korean War: 0.5-1 million (estimated) | Vietnam War: 2 million+ (estimated)
Korean War: Armistice stalemate; permanent division at 38th parallel | Vietnam War: Decisive communist victory; unified communist state
Korean War: 36,574 deaths | Vietnam War: 58,220 deaths
Korean War: 1.78 million | Vietnam War: 2.7 million
Korean War: 1.2-1.5 million | Vietnam War: 2.0-2.6 million
Korean War: $110 billion | Vietnam War: $738 billion
Civilian Casualties as Percentage of Total
Korean War: 16 nations | Vietnam War: 5 allied nations
Korean War: 78% approval | Vietnam War: 25% approval by 1968
Korean War: Partial success - maintained containment | Vietnam War: Strategic failure - communist victory
Korean War: Armistice/Stalemate - South Korea preserved | Vietnam War: Communist Victory - North unified peninsula
Korean War: 215,000 Chinese | Vietnam War: Minimal Soviet/Chinese direct engagement
Korean War: 3 years | Vietnam War: 20 years
Korean War: $54 billion | Vietnam War: $843 billion
Korean War: 16 nations | Vietnam War: 3-4 major allies
Korean War: Remained 60-70% | Vietnam War: Fell to 35%
Korean War: Ceasefire, division maintained | Vietnam War: Communist victory, complete unification
Total Deaths (All Combatants & Civilians)
Korean War: ~3.9 million | Vietnam War: ~3.8 million
Korean War: 1.2 million (1950-1951) | Vietnam War: None - advisory only
Korean War: 16 nations | Vietnam War: 1 primary nation + South Vietnamese ally
Korean War: 71% (Gallup, 1950) | Vietnam War: 25% (Gallup, 1969)
Korean War: Armistice - unresolved political division | Vietnam War: Military victory - unified under winner
Estimated Cost to U.S. (inflation-adjusted)
Korean War: $120 billion | Vietnam War: $738 billion
Korean War: N/A | Vietnam War: Limited coalition; mainly US-South Vietnam
How to choose between Korean War and Vietnam War
Korean War vs Vietnam War — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Korean War vs Vietnam War. Contains 61 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Korean War vs Vietnam War — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Korean War vs Vietnam War.
Why did China enter the Korean War but not directly intervene in Vietnam?
China entered Korea because it perceived a direct threat to its border (UN forces approached the Yalu River) and had explicit security interests in Korea. In Vietnam, China provided weapons and advisors but avoided direct military commitment because the geographic distance reduced immediate border threats, the conflict was more ideologically complex (Vietnamese communism vs. Soviet communism tensions), and China had learned from Korea's superpower escalation risks. By the 1960s, Sino-Soviet split also complicated direct Chinese intervention.
What were the main reasons U.S. public support collapsed in Vietnam but not Korea?
Korea had 71% public approval in 1950 because it was framed as defending against clear aggression, involved multilateral UN forces legitimizing the action, and lasted only 3 years with manageable casualty reports. Vietnam support collapsed to 25% by 1969 due to: extended 20-year duration with no clear victory, credibility gaps (government misrepresented casualty figures and war progress), graphic TV coverage showing battlefield realities, controversial draft policies, and growing awareness that South Vietnam was unpopular with its own population, making the strategic objective questionable.
Which war resulted in a better outcome for the United States?
Neither war achieved decisive U.S. strategic victory, but Korea produced a more defensible outcome: South Korea remained independent, developed into a democratic ally, and the DMZ boundary has held for 70+ years despite armistice tensions. Vietnam ended in complete communist victory and U.S. withdrawal, with unified communist control contradicting stated objectives. However, Vietnam's clearer (if negative) resolution contrasts with Korea's ongoing unresolved status. Long-term, South Korea's prosperity demonstrates Korea's greater strategic success, though it required ongoing U.S. military presence.
How did casualty patterns differ between the two wars?
Both wars produced massive casualties (~3.8-3.9 million total), but distribution differed significantly. Korea saw concentrated casualties in 3 years with intense mobile warfare and mass armies (Chinese human-wave tactics caused enormous losses). Vietnam spread casualties over 20 years with asymmetric insurgency warfare - fewer large battles but sustained attrition. U.S. deaths were 36,574 in Korea vs. 58,220 in Vietnam, but Vietnam's prolonged nature meant American casualties continued year-after-year, generating sustained domestic pressure. Vietnamese civilian deaths were estimated at 2 million in Vietnam vs. 1.5 million in Korea.
Why is the Korean War sometimes called 'the Forgotten War'?
The Korean War is overshadowed historically because it ended in stalemate (armistice, not peace treaty) with ongoing division rather than clear victory or defeat, making its historical narrative less conclusive than WWII or Vietnam's clear outcomes. U.S. media coverage was less extensive than WWII. Generational distance (1950s) means fewer living veterans tell their stories compared to Vietnam's extensive documentation. The ongoing Korean division also means the 'war' technically never ended—no treaty closure provides historical resolution like Vietnam's 1975 fall of Saigon. Additionally, Cold War historiography initially focused more on European conflicts (Berlin, Cuba) than Asian theaters.
How to Choose Between Korean War and Vietnam War
Total Duration: Korean War has 3 years, while Vietnam War has 20 years.
Consider: Total Casualties (Military + Civilian)
Total Casualties (Military + Civilian): Korean War has ~3.9 million, while Vietnam War has ~3.8 million.
U.S. Military Casualties: Korean War has 36,574 deaths, while Vietnam War has 58,220 deaths.
Outcome: Korean War has Armistice - divided peninsula remains, while Vietnam War has Communist victory - unified under North.
Primary Combatants: Korean War has UN forces vs North Korea & China, while Vietnam War has U.S./South Vietnam vs North Vietnam/Viet Cong.
Consider: Direct Chinese Military Involvement
Direct Chinese Military Involvement: Korean War has Yes - 1+ million troops deployed, while Vietnam War has No - advisory/support only.
Public Support in U.S.: Korean War has ~71% approval (Gallup 1950), while Vietnam War has ~25% approval by 1969 (Gallup).