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I just recently had the pleasure of visiting Seoul, but was sad to see JSA tours booked about 3 weeks in advance so I did not get to do the DMZ tour. My grandf

by cjslep 10y ago

I just recently had the pleasure of visiting Seoul, but was sad to see JSA tours booked about 3 weeks in advance so I did not get to do the DMZ tour. My grandfather was in the CIA during the Korean War and has quite an interesting perspective. Apparently it wasn't until Eisenhower was elected that North Korea finally was more willing to sign an armstice because, unlike Truman, Eisenhower was happy to drop hints that he was OK with using the atomic bomb to end the war. Gives an interesting dimension as to why North Korea is so gung-ho about obtaining one. They did not like being bullied with one.

douche 10y ago
Ah, Korea, the first "Rules of Engagement" war. I wonder what would have actually happened if MacArthur had expanded the war as he planned, before Truman clapped the muzzle on him. Similar to Vietnam, the suggestion that the US military is ready to take the gloves off and actually fight a real war is usually enough to bring anything less than a first-rate military power to the negotiating table. Well, assuming that the enemy is anything like an actual government with real responsibilities to its people, rather than a decentralized rabble of Islamic thugs.
- jsnk 10y ago
  "I wonder what would have actually happened if MacArthur had expanded the war as he planned, before Truman clapped the muzzle on him." I like MacArthur, and he is an amazing general. Inchon landing was a remarkable gamble that proves MacArthur is a tactical genius. In my South Korean heart, I want to believe that MacArthur was right. But when I think more about the issue and the historical context behind the war, I think Truman made the prudent choice. WWII is still very much fresh in everyone's mind. People know even the smallest spark can trail-blaze its way to start the biggest war at an unimaginable. The Korean war should have stayed as a proxy war and ended as a proxy war. I am glad that the war had not spilt itself to becoming full scale war between communist side vs capitalist side. Also US's use of atomic bomb in Japan during WWII was viable because Japan did not have an atomic bomb. USSR did. If US used an atomic bomb against North Korea, that would be an open invitation for USSR to use it. So yeah, I think Truman was right in the end.

by cjslep 10y ago

douche 10y ago

Ah, Korea, the first "Rules of Engagement" war. I wonder what would have actually happened if MacArthur had expanded the war as he planned, before Truman clapped the muzzle on him. Similar to Vietnam, the suggestion that the US military is ready to take the gloves off and actually fight a real war is usually enough to bring anything less than a first-rate military power to the negotiating table. Well, assuming that the enemy is anything like an actual government with real responsibilities to its people, rather than a decentralized rabble of Islamic thugs.

jsnk 10y ago
"I wonder what would have actually happened if MacArthur had expanded the war as he planned, before Truman clapped the muzzle on him." I like MacArthur, and he is an amazing general. Inchon landing was a remarkable gamble that proves MacArthur is a tactical genius. In my South Korean heart, I want to believe that MacArthur was right. But when I think more about the issue and the historical context behind the war, I think Truman made the prudent choice. WWII is still very much fresh in everyone's mind. People know even the smallest spark can trail-blaze its way to start the biggest war at an unimaginable. The Korean war should have stayed as a proxy war and ended as a proxy war. I am glad that the war had not spilt itself to becoming full scale war between communist side vs capitalist side. Also US's use of atomic bomb in Japan during WWII was viable because Japan did not have an atomic bomb. USSR did. If US used an atomic bomb against North Korea, that would be an open invitation for USSR to use it. So yeah, I think Truman was right in the end.