Machibet BetHaunting pictures reveal the horrors of the Korean war... as the world holds its breath 70 years on | The Sun - Machibet Login

THESE haunting pictures reveal the horror and destruction of the Korean War – as current tensions in the region could spill over into armed conflict.

The war which lasted three years broke out nearly 70 years ago on June 25, 1950, and remains one of the bloodiest conflicts in modern history with more than three million people deaths and a larger proportion of civilian casualties than World War II or the Vietnam War.

A 155mm Howitzer is fired during a night assaultCredit: Getty Images - Getty

A war weary Korean girl walks by a stalled M-26 tank, at Haengju, Korea, with her baby brother on her backCredit: Getty Images - Getty

A grief-stricken US infantryman whose buddy was killed in action is comforted by another soldier in an undisclosed location August 28, 1950Credit: Reuters

Tensions in the peninsula had been growing after the end of World War II, made worse by the growing Cold War.

The Soviet Union and the US had liberated the country from the Japanese on August 15, 1945, and the country had been split into zones of occupation.

The Soviets controlled the northern part while the Americans administered the southern half.

The border between the two was eventually drawn along the 38^th parallel in 1948, effectively creating two countries.

A communist state was established in the North under Kim Il-sung while a capitalist state was formed in the South controlled by Syngman Rhee.

Both regimes claimed to be the legitimate government of all of Korea.

Soldiers and equipment are parachuted in an operation by United Nations airborne units, 1951Credit: Getty Images - Getty

First Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez of the US Marine Corps leads the 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines over the seawall on the northern side of Red Beach as the second assault wave lands on Inchon September 15, 1950Credit: Reuters

A captured Communist being stripped by UN troops at Sariwon in October 1950Credit: Time & Life Pictures

American soldiers leaping from an armoured personnel carrier during exercises in KoreaCredit: Getty Images - Getty

US Marines launch a 4.5 inch rocket barrage against the Chinese Communists during fighting in the Korean War, 1951Credit: Getty Images - Getty

Warfare broke out when the North’s troops – the Korean People’s Army – backed by the Soviet Union and China – marched across the border in the South.

The United Nations Security Council formed a United Nations Command with 21 member nations joining together to send troops and armaments to the south with the US making up 90 per cent of those sent.

In the first two months of the war the Korean People’s Army made sweeping advances in the South and were close to victory.

But the UN forces then launched a counter offensive in September 1950 driving many of North Korea’s troops back towards the border and invaded the North in October.

As the UN forces progressed north, China then entered the conflict coming to the aide of the North and forcing the UN troops to retreat.

The war then, largely, became a battle of attrition with both sides making advances and then being forced to retreat.

During the fighting Seoul was captured four times.

The fighting ended on 27 July 1953 when the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed, creating the Korean Demilitarised Zone (DMZ).

The war has never been officially over although the leaders of the North and South met in April 2018 and agreed to formally work together to come to an agreement.

No agreement has ever been formalised and in recent weeks tensions have been rising again.

In the latest escalation of provocative acts, the North, now led by Kim Jung-un, has rigged up loudspeakers to blast out propaganda to the South.