The Korean Conflict
North Korea attacks South Korea
“South
Korea warned North Korea on Tuesday of "enormous retaliation"
if it took more aggressive steps after Pyongyang fired scores of
artillery shells at a South Korean island in one of the heaviest
attacks on its neighbor since the Korean War ended in
1953.” --Reuters,
November 23, 2010
What does this news mean for the rest of the
world? Taking a brief look through recent history leads us to
conclude the allies may get involved.
From 1910-1945
Korea was under Japanese rule. The Japanese occupied Korea. At the
end of World War II the Japanese surrendered to the United States.
The USA and the USSR then made an agreement to divide Korea by force.
Korea was then divided into North and South Korea dividing at the
38th parallel. On June 25th, 1950 North Korea invaded the south. This
started what is now known as the Korean War. On July 27, 1953 the
United Nations declared a cease fire. The battle line was
approximately where the current demilitarized zone exists today.
Traditionally North Korea has aligned itself with other communist
countries.
In 2002 US President Bush listed North Korea with the "axis of evil" countries such as Iran and Iraq. South Korea has been an ally to the United States since the Korean War.
“On Saturday, 24 June 1950, US Secretary of State Dean Acheson informed President Truman by telephone, "Mr. President, I have very serious news. The North Koreans have invaded South Korea." Truman and Acheson discussed a US invasion response with defence department principals, who agreed that the United States was obligated to repel military aggression, paralleling it with Adolf Hitler's 1930s aggressions, and said that the mistake of appeasement must not be repeated. --quoted from Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War
On November 23, 2010 "President Lee Myung-bak ordered his military Tuesday to punish North Korea for its artillery attacks "through action," not just words, saying it is important to stop the communist regime from contemplating additional provocation.” --Yonhapnews
Tensions are high as the world watches. Will history repeat itself? I hope not. South Korea has been put in the same kind of position as Israel. South Korea has a big enemy with powerful allies; but also has powerful allies. The world is ripe for another world war. I leave you with this question: Can the human race survive another world war?
