Running Time: 3 years from combat to armistice (cease-fire)—technically meaning the war is still going on.
Setting: Korea; later North Korea and South Korea.
Concept (according to America): We’re containing evil/communism from spreading to the rest of the world; also protecting potential consumers of America products.
Concept (according to North Korea): We’re uniting Korea under one sovereign government, independent of foreign powers—except of course for the Soviet Union.
Concept (according to South Korea): We’ve had so many different governments, rebellions and conspiracies in a generation that nothing makes sense anymore.
Before the War: The USSR and America agreed (during WWII) to not divide nations after the war. Then, after the war, divided--among other nations--Korea. Shortly before the fall of Berlin in 1945, Winston Churchill became adamant that America and England invade Russia the week after defeating Germany. Churchill, though immediately ousted, was not completely off his rocker, as the U.S. largely understood its relation with the USSR was that of having two common enemies (Japan and Germany). Most people, including President Truman, felt uncomfortable allying with Old Joe Stalin—as, like Hitler, he was a dictator who imprisoned, starved and executed millions. Rather than keeping it personal, Truman’s administration authored the memo NSC-68, which stated that America had an economic, militaristic, political, and moral responsibility/advantage (in that order) to stopping the spread of communism. This false dichotomy of the world ignored political spectrums in favor of creating arbitrary principles.
"Look! That bear is communist! Shoot it! SHOOT IT!!"
Plot: The North overruns the South immediately. U.S. General MacArthur stages a beach landing north of the front lines and flanks the invading northern forces. He then leads a charge to the Chinese border north of Korea. Prez Truman says, “hold it” but Mac-Daddy pushes his under-supplied troops northwards and threatens to nuke China because, frankly, he thought they had it coming. Truman fires his rogue general. China and the USSR back the North Koreans and attack south. A new border is drawn, separating the Korea’s, with about two meters difference than before the war.
After the War: Both sides plant thousands upon thousands of landmines along the border. America, disheartened by the inconclusive war, stalls on getting involved in Vietnam. General Dwight Eisenhower becomes the Republican presidential candidate, becomes a Republican and wins the 1952 election, in that order. In all likelihood, had Truman been a Republican, Eisenhower would have still been frustrated by the Korean conflict and become a Democratic challenger. Indeed, the Democrat Party leadership approached Eisenhower in the years immediately after WWII.
Contemporary Controversy: President Truman, with Executive Order 9981, racially integrated the armed forces—six years before the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. It caused disruption among the ranks and tanked the Southern popularity of the president (himself from Missouri). But the military got over it. Yes, Truman sold the military down the river, but only because he knew they could get back and be stronger than before. Nowadays any racial segregation in the military is so outrageous that Middle Earth’s human/dwarf/elf armies were not above criticism.
Film Adaptation: The most similar movie to this war would be “The Empire Strikes Back.” The middle child, the sequel of a 20th Century War Trilogy. Contemplative ending. New transportation (helicopters). Darker themes, strange locations, and the introduction of characters that carry into “Part Three: Vietnam.” Also, many soldiers had to fight in the snow—occasionally even against the Yeti (the Asian wampa).
Sub-Plot: President Harry Truman vs. General Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur had been in the Pacific Ocean for some 13 years when he disregarded Truman’s cease-fire proposal to the Chinese and instead sent his own “conditions for surrender”—which, in slightly more words, called for China to kiss Doug's ass. MacArthur had gone Col. Kurtz on Truman but by this time, nearly 50% of the America public thought going into Korea in the first place was a mistake and so blamed Truman. When Truman fired the old war hero, his polls numbers plunged…nearly into the negatives. Mac’s flagrant insubordination to the Commander in Chief, nuke-happy trigger finger and borderline insanity did not arise until months, years and decades later.
Foreshadowing: President Harry Truman vs. Vietnam. During the Korean War, Ho Chi Minh was leading the Vietnamese in a rebellion against their French oppressors and called upon Truman for aid, believing Truman would see Vietnam’s struggle for independence akin to America’s from the British and thus help a fellow out. The French meanwhile, called upon the same Truman for aid, believing Truman would see France’s struggle against communism akin to America’s against the North Koreans. Truman, though, was more tied down with the Korean conflict than either understood and so the American president did nothing for either side.
Glory Level: Low. Unlike the World Wars, Americans largely did not know the geography of Korea before and during the war. Americans, being largely European-oriented, knew what it meant when Paris was invaded and liberated. They knew where the city was. They knew its culture and historical significance. In short, they cared about Paris. And Rome. And London. Conversely, American didn’t know the cities and territories of Kaesong, Chuncheon, Uijeongbu, Ongjin, etc. Moreover, American interests and peoples didn’t seem directly at stake—unlike the submarine warfare of WWI.
Influence Level: Huge. Remember, the previous war (five years earlier) ended with the dropping of two nuclear bombs. That ended the fighting. Saving, by some estimates, half a million Americans and four times as many Japanese. But by not dropping nukes on Korea (or China or Russia), America became not only the first country to use nukes in warfare but also the first country to actively NOT use nukes. America set the precedent that nukes should not be used in a time well before any international treaties or even all the effects of radiation fallout were understood. America showed that it was willing to sacrifice troops by conventional means (marching, shooting, etc.) rather than kill thousands as instantly and indiscriminately as nukes are made to do.
Chances of a remake: About 30%. North Korea has definitely shown signs of aggression in the last few years. As has Russia. And, a regrettable admittance, so has America. While America might not be ready to fight a war of ideology anymore; that is, actively ‘defend’ a country from ‘communism,’ we don’t need many of our citizens killed to—for the lack of a better phrase—“go America all over everybody’s ass.” More importantly though, it is all but a guarantee that we will NEVER use a nuke in warfare. Ever. If Kim Jong-il nuked Seattle, I’m sorry, but we would not nuke Korea back. Oh rest assured, we’d retaliate. But we’d still use precision missiles to flatten all military bases and hideouts of anybody remotely connected to any hypothetical attack. We would still pride ourselves on killing as few civilians as possible. Why? Because that’s what we do now because Truman said he, and he alone, could make the call on (not) using nukes. And for that, we owe him, and every other clear-thinker in military history, the world.
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