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The Cold War broke out into a real war in 1950 between communist North Korea and free South Korea.  The North Koreans invaded across the 38th parallel into South Korea, which petitioned the United Nations for help.  The Soviet Union at the time was boycotting its seat in the Security Council due to a decision to seat Taiwan, and thus it lacked a veto for the decision by the United Nations to send an international force to South Korea under the command of General Douglas MacArthur.  But the international force was ineffective in blocking the advancing, well-trained communist soldiers from North Korea.

The Cold War broke out into a real war in 1950 between communist North Korea and free South Korea.  The North Koreans invaded across the 38th parallel into South Korea, which petitioned the United Nations for help.  The Soviet Union at the time was boycotting its seat in the Security Council due to a decision to seat Taiwan, and thus it lacked a veto for the decision by the United Nations to send an international force to South Korea under the command of General Douglas MacArthur.  But the international force was ineffective in blocking the advancing, well-trained communist soldiers from North Korea.

In September 1950, General MacArthur used an idea he had months earlier, but which all his advisors had rejected as too risky:  an amphibious maneuver known as the “Inchon landing.”  He turned North Korean aggression against itself by having his soldiers secretly flee on boats and then land, with reinforcements from other sources, north of the enemy to cut off their supply lines on a peninsula (see map).

In September 1950, General MacArthur used an idea he had months earlier, but which all his advisers had rejected as too risky:  an amphibious maneuver known as the “Inchon landing.”  He turned North Korean aggression against itself by having his soldiers secretly flee on boats and then land, with reinforcements from other sources, north of the enemy to cut off their supply lines on a peninsula (see map).

That single maneuver turned certain defeat into certain victory, as the North Korean army was then stuck without supplies.  But a month later communist Chinese began flooding into North Korea by the hundreds of thousands to help the fellow communists.  General MacArthur wanted to defeat them also, but President Truman refused and fired MacArthur for his subordination.  MacArthur had disobeyed orders from his commander-in-chief, and faced consequences for that.   In July 1953, a ceasefire was signed reestablishing the 38th parallel as the dividing line.  A demilitarized zone on both sides exists to this day.

That single maneuver turned certain defeat into certain victory, as the North Korean army was then stuck without supplies.  But a month later communist Chinese began flooding into North Korea by the hundreds of thousands to help the fellow communists.  General MacArthur wanted to defeat them also, but President Truman refused and fired MacArthur for his subordination.  MacArthur had disobeyed orders from his commander-in-chief, and faced consequences for that. In July 1953, a ceasefire was signed reestablishing the 38th parallel as the dividing line.  A demilitarized zone on both sides exists to this day.

The North Korean dictator, Kim Il Sung, ruled the country for decades and was succeeded by his son, Kim Jong Il, who recently alarmed the world by saying he has nuclear weapons.  South Korea, meanwhile, has grown, with capitalism, far stronger than North Korea.  South Korea had its first free elections in 1987.

The North Korean dictator, Kim Il Sung, ruled the country for decades and was succeeded by his son, Kim Jong Il, who recently alarmed the world by saying he has nuclear weapons.  South Korea, meanwhile, has grown, with capitalism, far stronger than North Korea.  South Korea had its first free elections in 1987.

Repeated attempts to reunite North and South Korea have been total failures, as North Korea remains completely communist (like China and Cuba) while South Korea is one of the most Christian and free enterprise nations in the world.  The Korean electronics company Samsung has risen to dominance in the computer video market, and the Korean car company Hyundai has also been successful in competing against the Japanese and American companies.

Repeated attempts to reunite North and South Korea have been total failures, as North Korea remains completely communist (like China and Cuba) while South Korea is one of the most Christian and free enterprise nations in the world.  The Korean electronics company Samsung has risen to dominance in the computer video market (it makes remarkable computer and television screens), and the Korean car company Hyundai has also been successful in competing against the Japanese and American companies.

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