The outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 was significant as it marked the first major armed conflict of the Cold War era, pitting the communist North Korea, backed by the Soviet Union and China, against South Korea, supported by the United States and United Nations forces. It illustrated the global struggle between communism and democracy and set the precedent for U.S. military involvement in conflicts to contain the spread of communism. The war solidified the division of Korea into two distinct nations, and its legacy continues to influence geopolitical tensions in the region, impacting international relations even decades later.