Korean War II.

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Beginning here with links to the You Tube video the topic of which is the Korean War:

"Korean War - PART 1, Prelude to war (1945)"

"An explanation of the first year(s) of the Occupation of Korea (1945-1949), and some of the key Koreans and Foreign authorities involved."

* Korea since 1905 until American and Soviet liberation as controlled and ruled by Japan.

* North Korea [DPRK] relatively strong and prosperous as opposed to to South Korea [ROK] in those immediate years in the aftermath of the Second World War. The North having industrial development [courtesy of the Japanese] of a fairly substantial sort.

* North Korea their military very well organized and equipped. Possessing heavy weapons such as tanks [T-34] and artillery.

* South Korea [ROK] relatively poor and almost exclusively agrarian when compared to North Korea [DPRK]. Very little if any industrial capacity.

* South Korea their military more along the lines of a constabulary force [conventionally armed police] rather than an army. NOT possessing heavy weapons as understood, tanks, artillery, etc. Personnel quite often hold-overs from the period of Japanese rule, a constabulary cadre of which having a reputation for knocking and breaking open heads on command.

To be more precise for the edification of the reader a constabulary:

"A military or paramilitary type force [constabulary] consisting of soldiers trained for police duties . . .

"Korean War - PART 2, Prelude to war (1946-1947)"

"A further explanation of the Korean factional powers that took over the Russian"'s and USA's respective occupation zones of Korea during the 1945-1947 period."

* Kim Il Sung his curriculum vitae [CV] not well understood. According to some Kim was [?] a Soviet citizen of ethnic Korean background, a captain in the Red Army and had fought at Stalingrad. A puppet figurehead as installed by Stalin. Loyal, obedient, reliable in all measures to create a Stalinist totalitarian regime.

* Syngman Rhee American educated and a Christian [with Austrian-born wife] but with an autocratic style and apparent messianic complex whose policies often were at odds with an American sense of fair play, free elections, etc. RHEE A LOOSE CANNON!

* North Korean a dictatorial system using draconian methods of population control no opposition present or allowed. South Korea the populace more politically fractured, a situation contentious and discordant. South Korean political situation CHAOTIC.

"Korean War - PART 3, Yeosu - Sunchon Rebellion (1948-1949"

"An explanation of the Yeosu-Suncheon Rebellion, Jeju Island Uprising, withdrawal of the occupation forces, and the willingness of both the northern AND southern regimes to begin a war to unify Korea."

 * "Ferment existed in the South, pro and con Rhee. Revolutionary violence and reprisal surprisingly [?] more common than generally thought.

"Korean War - PART 4, Beginning of 'The War' (1949-1950"

"This episode deals with the January 12, 1950 Press Club speech by US Secretary of State Dean Acheson which left Korea out of the United States' 'defense perimeter'. Also is an explanation of the North Korean preparations for war."

* The Dean Acheson speech controversial. Often it is suggested that  Korea not being included in the from that American "defense perimeter" as stated sending a go-ahead signal [even if unintentional] to the North Korean.

* To have a complete and 100 % full understanding as to the origins of the Korean War see the You Tube video:  "Messengers from Moscow - Part 2 of 4 (BBC 1995)".  Seventeen minutes into the video as shown and elaborated upon documents from Soviet archives without question [?] verifying the go-ahead signal from Stalin, North Korea and Kim merely executing prepared plans for the invasion south. Stalin having his well-thought-out reasons for war, to gain long-term advantage over Communist China, Soviet unquestioned dominance in the Far East the goal.

* Tensions obvious to all. Incursions by both sides more common [?] than realized.

"Korean War - PART 5, Beginning of the Attack (June 1950)"

"The Korean Civil War enters into a major phase: The South Korean military attempts to deal with the initial attack from the North in June 1950. The North Koreans blame the South Korean army on the Ongjin Peninsula of attacking first."

* North Korean [DPRK units at that exact moment probably the BEST light infantry in the world. Troops having combat experience in World War Two [WW2] and the Chinese Civil War. Soldiers experience, hardened, resolute.

* Surprisingly so [?] the U.S. government does not seem to had an apparatus in place to deal with crisis. Ad hoc response only possible and then subjected to continuous dynamic change for which only very imprecise information was available.

* Also surprisingly so [?] MacArthur and his Far East Command caught flat-footed and flummoxed by the North Korean attack! MacArthur and his staff veterans of the Second World War and highly experienced. but caught off-guard, bewildered and baffled by events as transpired.

More to follow!

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