In his “A Chance for Peace,” in April, Eisenhower had called an armistice in Korea “the first great step” toward trust among nations, unity and peace.  Through the early 1950s Korean War casualties continued to climb and negotiations stalled. During his Presidential campaign, Eisenhower announced that if elected his administration “will begin with its President taking a simple, firm resolution. The resolution will be: To forego the diversions of politics and to concentrate on the job of ending the Korean war–until that job is honorably done. That job requires a personal trip to Korea. I shall make that trip. Only in that way could I learn how best to serve the American people in the cause of peace. I shall go to Korea.” 

As President-elect, Eisenhower secretly traveled to the front lines in Korea on November 29, 1952, where his son, John, was serving to see war first-hand. After taking office, The Korean armistice agreement was signed on July 27, 1953. The United States had lost 33,686 lives in the conflict.

The signed armistice established a “complete cessation of all hostilities in Korea by all armed force” that was to be enforced by the commanders of both sides. The armistice is only a cease-fire between military forces, rather than an agreement between governments. To this day, no formal peace treaty has ever been signed.