Transcripts For CSPAN3 History Of The Korean War 20221103

Story. On sundays, book tv brings you the latest in nonfiction books and authors. Funding for cspan two comes from these television companies, and more including cox. Omar can be hard but squatting in a diner for Internet Access can be even harder. That is why we are working to make sure all students have access to affordable internet. Its a homework can still be homework. Cox, competes. Support cspan 2 as a public service. Thsonian good evening. Thank you all for joining us. I am thrilled to welcome you to tonights program, the korean war. The forgotten forever war. To our members, a sincere thank you. Now more than ever it is your support that keeps us going. As many of you know, a Smithsonian Associates is not federally funded. It relies entirely on funding and membership donations to anyone who might be new to Smithsonian Associates, welcome. I invite you to explore the wide range of programs that we offer, and to consider becoming a member to support a work in bringing you hundreds of trust of learning experiences every year. You can find out about those events and more on our website, smithsonian associate dot org. As well as on facebook, instagram, and twitter. We have also posted a link in the chat box. It brings me to my next and im a business. Before turning to our speaker this evening, i want to quickly point out a few key features of your virtual experience on zoom. Let me direct your attention to the chat box a new tool bar. This is where we will post relevant information and links throughout the program. Also on the tool bar is the q a box. This is where we will draw questions from during the q a question following the presentation. My colleagues are monitoring this area. We encourage you to submit your questions throughout the presentation. We will get to as many as possible. This program is set to run about two hours, including the audience q a portion. I also have noticed that this Program Includes close captioning, which you can choose to hide by clicking closed caption on the tool bar. If you are using a tablet or smartphone, you may need to switch the captions off in years in settings. Following the plug ran, please take a minute to complete the autonomous closing survey. We appreciate your feedback. Finally, let me tell you about the speaker this evening. Dr. Balbina hwang currently a visiting professor at the Georgetown University and the d. C. Campus of bush of texas and i am. She is an Adjunct Research associate at an age asked mark it. Over the course of her career she has served as a Senior Special adviser to ambassador, christopher health, the assistant secretary of east asian and Pacific Affairs of the u. S. State department. What senior policy analyst for northeast asia and the asian city center and heritage foundation. Tom at National Defense university in washington d. C. Taught at George Washington university, american university, and the university of maryland. Wasnt Adjunct Research fellow for the institute for National Security strategy in seoul, korea. Doctor who won a native of south korea is the author of numerous articles and has received several running awards. She has provided expert testimony before expert hearings and regularly lectures for foreign diplomatic institutes, military economies, and thriving services. She is a frequent commentator for Major International International Media outlets, including cnn, nbc, npr, abc, and cbs. She is also a frequent contributor to james intelligence review, the wall street journal, the washington post, the new york times, as well as numerous foreign media publications. Bobby knight has provided further resources for todays top. You can find that link in the chat. I actually, before she takes off she would like to do a quick poll. Im going to throw this up on the screen for you, real fast. Please take a minute to fill it out. It is going to help her with something. You will find out in just a second. So we are so excited to have Balbina Hwang here this evening. Without any further ado, please join me in welcoming doctor Balbina Hwang. Good evening well, i hope it is evening wherever you might be joining us. Will thank you soone of the adv apparently i just need to click one more button. There we are. Thank you so much, heather. And the staff at the smithsonian for all of the work that youve done to bring this program together. Thank you to all the audience members for joining us this evening. So i would like to begin heather, we are going to wait to get back some of the results. Is that correct . Im going to end the poll in just a second. We are slowing down. So, i might as well just Start Talking. Oh, there we go all right. Wonderful. These results are very interesting. Im very glad i asked this question. So, thank you so much for your response. If youre wondering why i ask you your age, i hope nobody found that route. Normally when i get one of these talks, i am with an audience. I can usually, sort of, gauge just by looking at the audience about approximately how old ar. That gives me an idea about how much you may or may not know about the korean war. Interestingly im assuming, heather, everyone was able to see the results on the screen, as well. It seems that the majority of our listeners this evening or actually, were probably alive right around the time of the korean war or they were children. That is actually a good sign. Youre probably wondering why it is that i have a picture of the Lincoln Memorial up here. There are several reasons for this. One of them, aside from the fact that it happens to be one of my favorite monuments in the beautiful city than i am allowed to call home, but it actually carries a lot of meaning in terms of korea, the way we think about korea, and everything that this memorial symbolizes. Favorite, the Memorial Park that i am no, this is my favorite view. You are sitting on the steps of the memorial, looking out. You will see this panorama. This is another one, taken in the evening. If you turn to the right, from the steps over by the trees you will see this. This is the memorial, built for commemorating not just the korean war and the u. S. Involvement in it, but all u. S. Lives sacrificed. Well over 30,000. I encourage all of you, if you havent been there, to go visit this memorial. Tsai, i guess i should bring that paid back up so you can see it. In any case, the reason i bring that up is, lincoln, obviously president lincoln brought back our country after it was torn apart by civil war. In fact, that is very much part of korea story. Interestingly enough, as we well now know, all of the controversies that we have with memorials, the war could and. Uk have graded under 50 years have passed, still many deep issues left over, left unresolved, they can still percolate up. Continuing to be issues that the country must face. Korea is a country in which civil war started 70 years ago. In fact, last year was the 70th anniversary of when it started. For three years there was a lot of killing and bloodshed on the peninsula. Well over 2 Million People, 2 Million People essentially the population of washington. Washington and the surrounding metropolitan areas. They were killed, from many different countries. What i would like to talk to you about this evenings, not just really about the war itself but about what that means. What it has meant how it has changed. Obviously not the country, which, technically is still in a state of war. Hostilities exist. Also for americans. Also, for the entire International System in our globe. What the korean war did was its fundamentally changed how everything was run. How all the countries within the International System interact with each other. It was essentially an entirely new period after only five years after we were too had ended. By the way, the korean war is essentially what triggers the cold war. I would like to take you through all of that. Starting off with this incredible view of korea. Ironically, the country has been known, for centuries, as the land of the morning calm. Frankly, there could not be a more ironic name. Just look at these pictures. The country is called, land of the morning calm. Yet, how did we get here . Here how do we get here . How have we been in this state for partially yes personally know, the last 70 years. Thats what i would like to talk to you about this evening. Of course it ends up being divided. We need to talk about this. Essentially the causes of the war itself lie much, much, longer than 1950. June 25th, 1950. The north Korean Forces on mass cross over something called the demilitarized zone, and the 38th parallel. Something i think you are all familiar with. Quickly to go back to why its so important for us to know i want to know the general age group so near memories are what your knowledge of korea might be interestingly enough i have no problem with people recognizing korea. Knowing so much about korea because of the popularity of south green culture. It is the kpop effect, right . In fact it wasnt that long ago, when i was a youth in fact, i will get to the background. It was actually quite difficult for people to even find korea on a map. I will put up this map i wont do another test by, here. Take a look see if you can spot exactly where korea is. Now, i dont mean this in any way to be an insult of our incredibly divides miss only an audience. As i say, not that long ago people had a really difficult time even finding korea on a map. Part of it is we americans tend to be notoriously bad a geography. Here, of course, is the world map im going to zoom in you can see the Korean Peninsula is here im hoping that all of you are able to at least sort of see it. I would like to take a moment look very carefully at this geography in fact, let me zoom out for a moment. This frankly will help you understand the and hire well what i like to call a paradox korea is an extremely complicated country. Extremely complicated pass. As people tell me, an extremely complicated society and culture. But, if you want to understand it, theres only one word. That word is, paradox. I think i messed up my slides you may have seen that earlier. Everything about korea itself can be explained by the one wonderful world, paradox. Im sure this incredibly edified smithsonian audience knows very well but it means and apparent contradiction i think that that wonderfully sums up exactly what korea is and much to everyones beef element exactly why it is the Korean Peninsula seems so odd to us today you have one country on the southern half the tenth largest economic country in the world. It is a Global Economic powerhouse. The sixth largest overall trading partner. Im sure most of you own something owned by samsung, hyundai, lg products. How is it on the other half when one of the country probably ranks the tenth i dont really like to use this word, poorest. I mean the smallest and least functioning economies. In fact, north korea probably ranks at the bottom of that list. North korea probably wins at winning every single one of these global rankings that they have. Most close acai. 197 countries, north korea probably winds. One of the most hostile countries. North korea probably is on their. How is it that we end up with two, essentially two different halves of the global system . Global economy steph curry is probably the most democratic. Most vibrant, open, Civil Society in all of asia, east asia much less northeast asia. How exactly did we get here . The clue is in this geography. Look very carefully, it is all about geography. Geography, essentially, was destiny when it came to korea. I tried to put this is a little bit of a dagger. This is the best icon i could find. What you see is for centuries, actually for millennia, well over 2000 years, the Korean Peninsula has been the geographical the bridge, the last point on the map, on the asian continent, that is the for this east. It is essentially a peninsula dangling. One of the wonderful historians once described korea, like a ripe fruit, dangling off the fertile asian continent. That is exactly what korea has been. What you are looking at here is, essentially, the Korean Peninsula has served as the gateway, or pathway, to japan as we see here. And, interestingly enough, what you will see is that if you look, korea has been described as a dagger pointed at the heart of japan. Meaning that japan has always felt that korea was a threat. It is through the Korean Peninsula, over the millennia, that numerous empires have tried to gain access to the japanese islands. Of course before navigation became advanced enough that large ships could go long distances. Not just small little fishing vessels. Big empires in china many different tribes different strength. One of the most famous being the mongolian. The mongolian empire under genghis khan who, in fact, took over korea. Took over the Korean Peninsula for well over 100 years or so. Tried to use korean advancements and civilizations to try to make an invasion of japan. Failing, ultimately. For most of the millennia, korea was seen as one of the most valuable pieces of real estate. Meanwhile, for japan, it is yes, a threat to japan. It is also a pathway up into the asian continent. Up the peninsula, up into the whole of mainland china. That is essentially exactly what happens. Fast forward to the 20th century with world war ii when japan essentially decides it is going to build its own empire. Korea was the first empire and important piece of territory that had to be controlled. As we will surely see it essentially sets off the story of the entire 20 century. One of the bloodiest centuries in human history. Not only world war i and world war ii, what most americans dont really or, im not even sure if they learn this in history. They have certainly forgotten it. Two critical wars that start at the very end of the previous century. What are essentially the causes . An contributed greatly to both world war i and what were to. So, lets move forward. Again, this map shows you exactly how over the millennia, korea has been essentially, there has been a civilization of koreans. It was not unified. Shortly can see a little graphic in a minute. Korea has been unified as one nation for close to 1800 years. For millennia before that, numerous, numerous, incursions were always coming through korea. Let me also point out that it wasnt always threatening invitations. In fact, the greatest of civilizations, china in the was essentially passed on to korea. In fact, korea advanced very much in being in chinas orbit. It was also the gateway through which, of course, japan received much of its knowledge and the facts and influences. From the great chinese empire. So, these graphics simply show you, the influences why it is that from the north there were constant innovations. Okay . As i mentioned before, the mongolian empire was one of the earliest. Chinese, at one, point tried to take over. When korea had been split into a period called the three kingdoms. There were three separate kingdoms. Also later on fast forwarding to the 20th century or the very end of the 18 hundreds you can see this arrow it is pointing to russia. When the russian empire it grows and power to rival one of the great european powers it has always considered itself a european empire. At the end of the 19th century it realizes that it is also a Pacific Power with its worldclass navy in fact what it really needs is i think it will fast forward here. I think vladivostok. That becomes a absolutely crucial piece of real estate. The other arrow that you see here is where japans interest joins. So you see here that moscow finally figures out that actually the far east region is an absolutely crucial part of expanding its global empire. Rivaling the growing, already grown empires in the west. The british empire. And all the other european empires. Also the growing power of the United States. We see here, the United States has always had some interest, primarily in the philippines. Then, it ends up being the case that the Korean Peninsula starts bringing in u. S. Interests. I drew this hearing to indicate that korea has been the fulcrum. The bullseye, of, centrally, all of the dynamics. Swirling all around the Korean Peninsula. For most of creates history, korea actually managed to do very well keeping most of the powers, the foreign powers outside, and at bay, hence he may have heard the term, hermit kingdom if you watch the news, im sure again, this audience does,. You have heard the hermit kingdom be applied to kim jongun the previous leaders before him, his father and grandfather. North korea in its modern history, certainly now, is called the hermit kingdom. We like to call it that. But actually, the Korean Peninsula, united korea was known as the hermit kingdom. For centuries before that. It is really important to keep that in mind. Again, what this shows is eventually all of this collides together at the and of the 19th century. As we are ushering in what would be, essentially, the modern era for asia, it is essentially a disaster. Of course china, it had been being opened up. If i am using my intensive correctly. The previous 200 years. Of course, as you know, the 19th century, the 18 hundreds, was considered the century of humiliation for china. That was the end of the chinese empire. This glorious empire that have been in existence for 5000 years. One of the most advanced china is in utter chaos it starts to go through civil war. As we know throughout history. What was the cause of that . It was essentially, in part, of course, because the western powers and entered into china. It was, essentially, the sino japanese war. That really leads to the final death blow for the chinese empire. The sino japanese war, in 1895 when it was finally concluded was the launch of japans arrival on the International Stage it has very very serious a period power that suddenly the west had to Pay Attention to. It was all over this piece of territory. Control over the Korean Peninsula. Now, if you understand this, this goes a very long way to understanding the roots of essentially what will be the division of the Korean Peninsula according to koreans, not their own faith. It was something that was done to them. Again, the theme that you will see from now on is, this idea called by it is essentially a very, very, korean idea. It is part of its national identity. This idea that korea was not in charge of its fate for the last hundred close to 150 years. Why . Because it was always a victim to the poor nations of the great powers around it. What you are looking at here is some of you may think this looks familiar. You think it looks awfully similar to the great wall of china. In fact, of course there is a relationship. This is actually a wall the korean bill on the northern border. They had one further up north on its bordering area with china and manchuria. This is actually built closer down. I will show you in a minute, right near seoul, which is in the middle of the peninsula. Why . Because for the last korean dynasty, the chans own dynasty, the kings were under constant pressure from outside imperial powers this city this fortress city this lawful have been so the buildup of a koreans for over 600 years because very far. A visual understanding of this idea of ingrained deep in the korean soul, it is essentially a victim. It is always a victim of its founding powers, the surrounding neighbors and as a very small power surrounded by great powers. It is, essentially, you might have heard this phrase, a shrimp among whales. There is a very old korean adage, when whales fly, shrimp with dine. Its not a very eloquent english translation, im afraid. In korean, essentially it really is a powerful and, possibly even poetic, way to think about how koreans view themselves. Basically when whales get into really big fights, the little shrimp are going to get absolutely swallowed up and torn up. That is, essentially, koreas history for the past 150 years. Looking at this law, this is the wall. It is called namhansanseong. You can see it on the map. It was bill not far up on its northern corridor, but not too far from the soul. It has been its traditional Royal Capital for, well, since unification to one kingdom, 1200 years. So when this was being built, korea was not very well known but it was a very advanced civilization. Essentially wanted to not only protect itself, but its mentality was, well, we are so advanced, why when the europeans and other started showing up, essentially knocking on their door saying, hey let us in we want to trade with you we want relations with you. We have so much to teach you. Look at all these advances that we have. The koreans looked at them and said, as eloquently described in a famous historian. When they, meaning the western powers, came knocking on the korean doors, the koreans politely shut them and said, thank you very much. No thank you. Please go away. We have everything that we need. We do not need anything more from you. We are not interested. That is, essentially, what it did. Physically, as you can see here. These incredible military fortresses. It did it over and over again. You will see that. It also built up this very deep ingrained notion once again a deep in Korean Identity that it was first of all a very special kind of kingdom it was a special kind of people that were all, ethnically, one people i remind you that, in asia, that is actually not a common understanding. The chinese empire, which has always been very strong always the strongest in all of asia for millennia, it was essentially cobble together a many, many, different essentially tribal groups. Ethnic ribs. That has always been the challenge of every single emperor throughout chinas glorious long history for several millennia. Japan, now im talking about east asia, certainly northeast asia. Japan to. Even though japan has over the centuries, cultivated this image of being kind of a very pure race. The japanese civilization the japanese people are something very special and unique that is certainly this kind of extreme ideology that was adopted by the militaristic rulers, in japan, after the mazy restoration in 1865. It inculcated the fascist beliefs that would become embedded and grow overtime it leads to designs to build a great empire that can actually challenge the western empire and, in fact, gives to pans the confidence the absolute temerity to launch an attack on the United States itself. Called pearl harbor. In any case, koreans have they are unique country. It is essentially comprised of one ethnic identity. One peoples. Now, let me be very careful and point out very clearly, that of course this is a myth. Koreans, when you meet koreans, almost all koreans will tell you oh, well we are one of the most homogeneous races left on the planet. Very, very, few other countries can say, this nation is made up of one race. In fact, i dont believe there is a single country in europe that is the case. Certainly not. In fact, europes identity the idea of countries, italy or germany, they come very, very, late to the european history. Only in the late 1800s. So, let me point out that this is a myth. There is no such thing as a pure race, a pure ethnic group. A pure identity. It is true that korea closed itself off for quite many centuries. Decades, centuries, throughout its history. It has been relatively protected. The idea that other races did not come in and they can mingle with korea that is simply scientifically not true. Nevertheless what may be more important than actual dna, in fact, far more important, is that this kind of myth was so strongly ingrained in the Korean Identity that it becomes, essentially, true. And, this is crucial to understanding not only what happens with the division of the Korean Peninsula formerly in 1948 at the end of over two. If you want to understand the very, very odd what many people call, crazy, regime of north korea, i do not like to characterize north korean says crazy. Not, necessarily, because its a derogatory or negative term or connotation. Frankly, the North Koreans probably deserve it. Not the people, the regime. The north korean leaders. I may be very clear, i, personally, do not think that the leadership is crazy. I think the problem with characterizing north korean regime as being crazy or strange because it refuses to join the global community, it refuses any kind of interaction with any other country. That is part of the image that north korea likes to cultivate. It has worked for the regime. Strangely enough, it is what has allowed north korea to continue to survive, despite the predictions and the orders inconclusive certainty that almost everyone views north korea has, any day now it is going to collapse. Last 70 years and isit is a fai. Well, we have been saying north korea is going to collapse for the next 70 years. It has not collapsed. The important thing, again, is down to stand that this mentality is very deeply ingrained, and very historical. I pinpointed one of the things korea was trying to do, what it thought was one of the most advanced civilizations. Again that is up certainly up for debate whether it is factually true or the fact certainly during this period of history this is absolutely what koreans believed era essentially the 7yearold war in this division, milli this tragedy of this 70 year old war and in this division millions of lives lost. It continued into instability and certainly uncertainty about the future of korea. In fact, a lot of the tragedy is precisely because koreans have maintained very stubbornly this kind of myth that their civilization was so wonderful that they just simply didnt need to interact with everyone else outside which were considered barbarians gyeongju is one of them. This is actually a very famous buddhist temple which is a unesco treasure. There are too many things to go into to explain. If everyone here thinks that guttenberg invented the movable press, possibly, it was actually korea, in fact, was actually the civilization that invented what is called the movable press using wooden blocks. They invented a 500 years earlier. Koreans, in fact, were looking up at the stars and astronomy through essentially the gadgets that later on in europe chapel or, galileo, cover in a case, and others would develop. Koreans were already and already had that kind of Technology Hundreds of years before. Do not even bother trying to look at the detail. Just look at it from far away. Essentially, look at the pretty colors. The reason that i put this up here is for you to just see graphically and ive highlighted it in a red box. Its actually better if you look at it from far away. What this is is essentially a timeline. By the way, i have been astonished at some of the things that i am finding online related to korea. If there are any of my former students who happen to be attending, they all know that i am for zoom im still kind of a luddite, but i used to really shy away from doing anything on the computer. I only realize this is i was putting together this presentation how much is about korea there actually is now posted on the internet. What i find alarming is that i dont know how accurate most of it is. In any case theres apparently a lot of people who just have enough free time to put together things like this, which is essentially what you have. On the left you have a graphic which shows every single one of the chinese dynasties. It shows what this essentially shows you graphically is that china has had a lot of turmoil in its dynasties even though the chinese empire and the chinese civilizations we think of as being incredibly stable and very, very large if you look at all the individual separate emperors, it was quite unstable. On the right side is actually on the right side, whoever this is, apparently she is a fan of korean historical dramas, which is what led to this particular persons interest in putting together this incredibly complex timeline. As i said, there are some very interesting people on the internet with a lot of time on their hands in any case, what you see on the right is a breakdown of a few different empires or a different monarchies in the west. All you need to do is graphically compare the colors. What you see is that while the most advanced regions of the world in the west and in the east, well empires were constantly changing hands, look at the way korea maintained its dynasties. Once it had this middle part is the most chaotic. It splits into three kingdoms and they become unified. What you will see here this is just another graphic which is a much cleaner way of just looking at with approximate dates again, look here. Here are all the dates of the chinese dynasties. Here are all the ones of the different japanese dynasties. What do you notice . Throughout all these changes, korea maintains under one dynasty, meaning under one dynastic rule. What this says is that while everywhere else in the world there were constant political not just political turmoil. Things would die, leaders. Every once in a while, a queen, but mostly kings. They would become usurped. There would be some sort of an attempt at a revolution. Someone else will take over. There would be another invasion from a neighboring empire. So on and so forth. Korea somehow managed to keep itself incredibly politically stable. This is also one of the reasons why during this time korea was also able to absolutely flourish in its advances in the arts in all sorts of developments in sciences. What do you need in order to be able to develop in this manner . Well, what you need, first and foremost, this political stability. That might be revealing my bias as a scholar who has chosen politics as your field. If you are a sociologist, you might disagree. Thats perfectly fine. I think that you might be able to forward so many good arguments and i might end up agreeing with you in many ways. The reality is that you need political stability. We know this from the european and western history. Thats all you need to do. I mean, europe essentially really does not become an advanced civilization. There was this odd period which were looking backwards like to call of the dark ages, the middle ages. We have this image where europe was in decline and did nothing. Thats also partially true. The reality is that it begins to flourish in the 14th and 15th century. The italian renaissance is just one example of that. From there on in the next 400 years, europe would make advances that it had taken the asian civilizations centuries to achieve. By the 19th century, the europeans, now western civilizations, were dominant. Asian civilizations were in a very, very big trouble. One of the reasons is precisely because many of them, and china was the case, japan was certainly the case, and so was korea this idea that we dont need anything from the west. Why would we want anything from you are buryings who we have dealt with as more variants for the last thousand years . That was probably the single most crucial decision made by all of these three northeast asian civilizations the chinese, the japanese, and the koreans. There was this notion that they had nothing and they needed nothing from the west. What ended up happening, of course, instead was that there insular attitude, all it did was lead to internal decline and decay, as is always the case. It was precisely this period when europe advances and, relatively speaking, essentially asia was ripe for the plucking, right for the taking. We are back to this fortress city that the koreans have learned to build for well over a period of this is essentially inside the fortress city built on this mountaintop just outside its traditional capital seoul is where the kings would the entire royal court and all of the institutions of government would flee there to go and protect themselves. You can picture this as a medieval one of the medieval forts if that helps you picture it. It was successful until you see the date of 1871. Until the state, korea had famously slammed its doors shut on every european attempt to try to come in and approach korea. They all tried. There were some ducks sailors who entered around the 16 hundreds and 17 hundreds. Very few got entry. I have put on the resource list that heather has so kiley put up one book in there which is a history book, a historical account viaduct sailor. Its a fascinating read if anyone is interested in this period. The turning point comes in the battle of calm roy. This is essentially the first real encounter with americans and the United States. If you know any of your asian history, which is coming back to your mind now, you will of course you might remember that commodore perry, his famous black ship sailing into tokyo bay these events that occurred in the 1850s. You know that china by then had already been essentially occupied. There were actually naval ports in eastern portions of jintao, but there were numerous europeans which had won. They essentially one of them through coercion with china. By 1871, you will remember that china is already well into this period of decay and instability. The opium wars had been erupting. Essentially, china was being carved up by all of the major european powers the french, the germans, the british, the dutch, even the portuguese, which had control over macau. Andall of them were carving it. They were using china for incredible trade. The United States was no exception. I mean, all of these other empires had colonies everywhere. The United States thought well the, might not need colonies, but there certainly a lot of trade to be done and a lot of money to be made in asia. By now the americans had settled out going west and now the west coast was essentially settled and becoming occupied and becoming vibrant centers of American Cities which were centers of commerce and trade. The americans started sailing west from the west coast. They come to korea. They had already been in japan. They go well, isnt korea just also write for opening up to us . That is not exactly the reception of the american scott. What you see here are some incredible photos. Im amazed that they are even available from during this time. America comes in with the korean expedition. It was sort of a disaster. Americans did not like the receptions they got from koreans mostly because they didnt understand anything about korean culture and society. Again, why would they . In part, americans did not really make a very good effort that is certainly true. How could anyone know anything about korea . Korea had chosen to close itself off. If anyone try to come, no matter the friendliest manner, koreans would turn them away firmly, politely, but essentially with a very clear signals. Dont bother us. Go away. They didnt understand koreans. They did not understand korean customs or culture. Everything that americans and the europeans thought they knew about korea was essentially through the lens of their interactions with japan and china. Of course, by 1871, what they began to hear in a very myopic and limited fashion from the japanese and the chinese were that, oh, those koreans, that odd hermit kingdom, they are so tiny. They closed themselves off. Who knows what they have been up to . They are probably not as advanced as we are. How would anyone know . Koreans didnt let them in. The americans miss took what the koreans were doing, which is when the ships come sailing in, the koreans were not happy. With their very, very, very limited the ships look as like as if they were about to fall apart. They essentially attacked the American Military ships. That was not a very smart decision on the part of the koreans. By the way, let me just point out again this kind of odd myopic myth that koreans have built up in their minds. Koreans think that they have this supreme naval advancement and technology. Why . I apologize, i shouldve brought up an image of it so that you could see it. Koreans back in by 15 60 or so, essentially, korean side invented what becomes known as the first ironclad ship in all of human civilization. No one ever figured out how to build a ship made of metal. How can a ship made of such having materials how could it actually sail for a long distances . It is one of koreas biggest myths and one of koreas biggest heroes. This admiral essentially takes what is called a turbo boat which was ingeniously shaped like in the shape of a turtle along with all of these scales which made it it fended off one of the most violent and largest attempts to take over the Korean Peninsula in the late 15 hundreds by the very, very fierce and frightening japanese leader at the time. This is one of the greatest attacks. Korea actually ends up offending it off. Korea has been living off the glory of its naval supremacy from the 15 hundreds. Little did they realize that in 1871 the americans had much better and stronger ships. Without going into too many of these details, i could give an entire lecture just on this encounter. Essentially, what happens is the koreans attack the ship. They end up killing about 30 or 40 of the american sailors. They basically chased the americans out. The americans go back to the states not very happy. They decide they are going to launch a another mission back to korea. They are better prepared this time. They do this. They eventually convince korea to sign something called the 1882 treaty of amity and commerce. If you look very carefully, the korean name for it is something different. You will notice over and over again in my slides that names become a very important. Not everyone calls things the same name. There is an issue with translation, but its not just an issue of translation. What are views is very, very much a completely different psychology, different attitudes, different identity, a prism through which koreans and other asians are viewing events around them and encounters with other foreign powers. It gives you a very, very important clue and a signal as to how much of a difference there is. We can look back on history and say that they should have known that this was going to this was not going to and will. We always have the benefit of hindsight in this regard. In any case, fast forward. It is very interesting now is the story and this idea that in fact u. S. Korea relations go back all the way to 1882. With this incredible treaty of amity and friendship, those of you who might remember what is called the chorus fta, that was the u. S. Korea Free Trade Agreement that was negotiated and signed about 20 or 15 years ago. It once again was a big controversy during the Trump Administration when he essentially wanted to get rid of it along with nafta as you may all remember. In any case, it is very interesting that during this time as americans were negotiating this by the way, it was not very popular in this country. There were many, many, many groups in fact, it took congress a very long time to be convinced that this was a good economic deal. They would frequently cite, oh, but our relations go back not just 70 years back to the korean war where american sacrifice lives and we lost ever since then, we have essentially been koreas best friend. It goes all the way back to 1882. That is not how the koreans remember this treaty of amity and friendship. To them, this was the beginning of what would become essentially u. S. Betrayal. This might sound a little jarring and a little odd to you because in a minute im about to proceed quite fast through history to Start Talking about the korean war. Thats why youre here, the division of korea. He might be a little shocked that i am setting up the past 70 years of incredible relationships. There is really not been another one like this. Certainly not in the last century, but i would argue korea has had the most unique relationship with the United States in the last 70 years. In 1882, that is not what the koreans were thinking, right . This is just copies of the actual agreement. Heather, i think you might have the other poll ready. Is that true . If you dont, dont worry about and i will just ask it. There we go. Okay. Take a moment to look at this. Which u. S. President was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize related to a conflict directly related to the Korean Peninsula . Thats an important i will let all of you answer that and let me just fast forward here. Was it Theodore Roosevelt . Was it Woodrow Wilson . Was it jimmy carter . Was it president obama . I will give everyone another moment. I think heather is going to show us their results whenever they are ready. Maybe we can give everyone another minute or so. This is an excellent trivial pursuit question, by the way. In my classes whenever i asked this, never again will any student miss this question in trivial pursuit. I underestimated this smithsonian audience. I know i should not have. Im actually quite shocked that most of you got it right. It was Theodore Roosevelt. Okay, so, in fact, he did. Theodore roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize. The other president s did also. That might be why some of you might have been tricked into the other answers. He wins the nobel prize in 1906. Its awarded, as you can see here, stated by the nobel committee, for his outstanding role as collaborator during peace treaties. This is including ending this very bloody war between japan and russia. Thats very interesting. That is certainly not how koreans viewed it. If anything, this bloody war, by the way, is called the russo japanese war. It was negotiated essentially at Teddy Roosevelt surging. He in fact hosted those delegations and brought them together for quite a long time. It was not so simple. There is nothing simple about history when it comes to korea or east asia. I wish i could spend a lot of time telling you about the russo japanese war. Let me just point out sorry, youre looking at the slides, this is fast forwarding to the division of korea. If you really want to know the, russo japanese war is the turning point in history, not just in asia, but actually further west as well. It is essentially what lays the seeds of all of the next major wars in the 20th century. It is all about control of the Korean Peninsula which lays the seeds of the ground for world war i, world war ii, and of course the korean war is all about this unfinished legacy of what happened and what happened with the ending of the russo japanese war in 1905. It was all about russia and japans control over the Korean Peninsula. It was access to the Korean Peninsula. Again, i dont want to try to go back in my slides. I will leave it alone. If you can remember the graphic i showed you earlier about the map of the peninsula and why in the end it comes down to geography, i pointed out were vladivostoks. That is an extremely, extremely crucial port for russia. Those of you who know year european history, which im sure most of this audience does, you will note that by now russia was a major empire. It had a navy that was really rivaled. It was arrival to the greatest navies of the world the british, the french, the swedish, the dutch, all of these countries. Russia has won a very big problem. It has no warm water ports, not one in that entire vast territory. Other than accessing the black sea which, by the way, also points out where the crimea is so crucial and you begin to see this and why crimea becomes the kind of milestone, the fulcrum for all of the european powers rivalry which ends up essentially laying groundwork for world war i in world war ii russia needed a warm water port. The only warm water port that it saw that was viable was actually not in the european side. That was vladivostok. By the way, russia also saw it as a key strategic way of not only limiting the other european powerss entry into china, but also japan. By now, japan is suddenly coming out of nowhere. After 400 500 years of essentially being from about 1400 till japan had actually closed itself. It had completely isolated itself. Japan had not advanced. The magic restoration is what changes it. In the course of 15 or 20 years, japan is suddenly really the first major east asian power that willingly well, it had not done so in the beginning, but when the westerners had come in and forced it to open, it realizes, okay, were not going to embrace all of this incredible western advances, everything the Industrial Revolution has allowed. Japan quickly makes advances. Not only that, but it leapfrogs ahead. It suddenly has a navy which is becoming increasingly problematic, not only for every major power in the west, all of the europeans, but the germans as well. That is essentially what leads to the who is going to control the korean vessel and manchuria . Essentially, what the treaty of portsmouth does is it essentially brokers ideal and it basically carve south korea so that the japanese in decisively won that war. It allowed russia to maintain some control in manchuria and essentially hand over the rest of korea to japan and exchange. That was the deal made by the great powers. Notice that the koreans had no say in this. That was considered the first big betrayal by the United States. If i could, i would ask another poll question. How many of you have heard of the taft katsura agreement . I might have taken them out for time purposes. Its just an agreement which was actually a series of secret meetings which were held by taft, louis Teddy Roosevelt secretary of state, and katsura, his counterpart. He was actually a gentlemans bargain about handing over korea to japan in exchange for japan essentially allowing, if we can use that word, allowing the United States access to the philippines. Tens of thousands of russians and japanese die in this war, never mind the numerous koreans who were killed because the war was being conducted on their territory. They had no say in this. The key point here is that what happens with japan winning that russo japanese war is it is a declaration to the world, first of all, that japan has arrived. Japan is not just some odd asian power that, should we be worried . Maybe we shouldnt be. You know, they cant possibly yes, i mean, there is a racial component to this. Until this time, i dont think it occurred to the western powers that any asian power could be a rival or challenger to the west. It just simply would not have occurred to them. In fact, this event when russia basically gives up and says, okay, japan, you have one. This is a shock which reverberates and fundamentally changes how european powers and the United States begin to not only view asia itself and their presence in asia but also how they view japan. You have to understand what a devastating blow it was to russia. It was the first time any nonwestern power had ever managed to defeat decisively in military using, you know, a military battle, a dominant western empire. It was not just a western power of russia. Russia was one of the greatest and most powerful empires. They were totally defeated. That should give you a signal about what is happening in russia internally itself. This war was lost in great part not just because of japans superiority and military battles, but also because of the decline that russia was undergoing in its own internal instability. In any case, what that does after japan takes its victory is it then slowly through a process of essentially attrition slowly starts to take over control of the Korean Peninsula. Formally, did an axis the Korean Peninsula in 1910. This is possibly the most crucial piece, historical moment that anyone needs to understand if you want to understand why korea becomes divided and why that division at the 38th parallel, vinnie very famous 30th parallel, becomes the source of several years of friction, tensions, conflict that it ends up erupting in something called the korean war on june 25th, 1950. Im going to get to how it becomes divided at the 30th parallel. These two gentlemen play a crucial role in this. Again, just up to this it is crucial to understand that korea lost its independence in 1910. What that means is that korea no longer becomes an existing country. It is wiped off the map. Korea the name becomes part of japan. That is the beginning of the formal part of japanese colonial rule. Again, by the way, i mean, almost every internet site i went to says, when the japanese invaded and took over korea 1910 thats actually not true. That is not really i mean, japan had already annexed it. This is why it is so important to understand the treaty a force with and how japan had slowly, very slowly, already been building up its informal control of the Korean Peninsula well before 1910. 1910 is the first time that there is a formal annexation which is forced upon the korean king. They essentially take the korean king and he is cornered. He signs it. We did not yes, korea became part of our empire, but the king willingly cited over. We have the documents to prove it. This is the stamp and the signature. This is all about interpretation. Most of you who know anything about korea will know and every single cranium it will not hesitate to somehow work into their introduction in conversation with you a mention about brutal japanese colonial periods. That is every single korean will tell you this. This is primarily the younger people. These are people who are now three generations removed. It is first of all the period that was quite brutal. It was not just a matter of taking over the territory where korea is essentially the sovereign power. Korea has no independent authority. It was not just that. There were numerous by this point, most of the globe, of course, as we all know, hand ban again, im probably using the wrong tense here. They had been being carved up by the others imperial european powers. South america, africa, almost all of the rest of asia was already or had been carved up. The idea that korea would never fall victim to that is just part of koreas incredibly myopic view. Remember this. Japan is not a western or european power. It is a neighboring fellow asian power. To add insult to injury, japan for most of the last 2000 years of history before than, before the formal annexation in 1910 for most of that period japan was considered less advanced than korea. Again, this is partially interpretation. This is not how the japanese view their history. This is absolutely not the way currency their history. What is the truth or the reality . Probably somewhere in between. It is absolutely true that most of the japanese civilizations came through. All of the asian civilizations were essentially based on china. China was the middle kingdom. It was the central power. It was the most important and most civilized power. Basically all of its own advances were how it is spread its culture. Other individuals surrounding countries which were sorry, not countries, but kingdoms that were sovereign and independent but also part of chinas suzerainty this actually understood this. That was the case with japan. Imagine that you are korean and you lose all of your power to japan. Its not a particularly friendly one. This is in part the role did not go well because of koreans displeasure and their resistance to colonial rule. If youre thinking, well, i mean, who would willingly give themself up to colonial rule, i agree with you, but if you are being conquered, you have your expectation that he would resist. The reality is that no one probably resisted as fiercely as the koreans did. They in fact gave the japanese so much trouble that their response was actually to become increasingly brutal because that was their way, their excuse. It was their method of trying to control the Korean Peninsula, its people, and to maintain it. This is the crucial point. All of these major powers are battling over korea not because of anti necessarily Intrinsic Value but purely its strategic value. What that means is that they were essentially ignoring anything of value that the koreans themselves, the Korean People, the korean culture or Society Might have to offer. It actually didnt matter. If all the koreans that were inhabiting the peninsula were just they just disappeared, poof, if they somehow laughed and gave up their territory, that is essentially what all the surrounding powers were interested in. They were interested in controlling and having access to the Korean Peninsula itself. They therefore could not have cared very much about anything to do with the Korean People themselves. That goes a long way to explain, not excusing, but simply explaining why and how the japanese colonial period becomes increasingly very, very brutal and frankly quite cruel. I mean, imagine there were many other people and nations and other societies that were being controlled all over the world. There was a lot of brutality being committed. When the european imperial powers came into colonize, they did not necessarily insist, for example, that you absolutely forbid any use of the native tongue. There obviously were instances a friend of mine who happens to be irish reminded me that that has been irelands bitter history going back 1000 years. That is partially part of the issue that many irish still to this day sort of carry as part of their identity against british rule. In india, this is, i believe, and please excuse my horrendous lack of knowledge about india i probably should know more about Indian History that i do. That is why certainly because of british rule and rule over india for so long that many indians to this day still to speak english and that english is essentially i will spoken language in india. It never wasnt forced to the point where if you spoke it you were rounded up and hanged in the public square. But this is essentially what happens in korea. Education everything was wiped out. All citizenship was wiped out. Most importantly for korea, what this means is that it has no independent authority in the International System to either speak for itself, to take control over its future, and especially to say, well, we do not agree to this. Fast forward to rising Japanese Imperial powers. That continues to grow. He has control of the Korean Peninsula. It is able to stage an invasion of the chinese mainland. Prior to when the United States joins the world war ii in earnest after pearl harbor, japan gains access to the chinese mainland. The Japanese Invasion of china is also, well, frankly, most of you might know more about that than about the treatment of korea. Well, the chinese certainly dont want you to forget about it. Youve heard about the rape of non king and japanese control over shanghai. Well into the 1930s. And increases the appetite as to why he needs to can troll korea and build what japan calls its again, names, right . I said names to you earlier . It calls it the coal prosperity sphere in asia. A very lovely sounding name for somethings which meant that essentially japan would take over chinese roles that they had held for several thousand years as being the single most dominant power in all of asia. All the separate individual sovereign kingdoms were in afrins paying tribute to beijing, the emperors of beijing, in exchange for their own sovereignty. Japans idea was a little different. Japans idea was that they would hand this coprosperity sphere. You dont really have a choice about it. Your tribute to us we will take by force if you dont willingly gave it to us. Most importantly, we will be the only single power left in asia because we dont want the europeans and the westerners here. This was a way of working itself in, you can see how if you frame of this kind of movement in this way that for the native peoples of the different former kingdoms all over asia who resented very much having been carved up by the western powers, you can begin to see how this would gain some sort of i mean, they are certainly powerful narratives. In any case, so, japan, we all know the story about world war ii. August 15th, 1945, every korean again, its one of the largest holidays in south korea. It is simply called well, we call it the day that japan surrendered in world war ii. Finally, at last, there was peace. It was finally the war that would and the european war had already been, won but we had to drop these horrendous new epithets called atomic bombs. We finally got peace at last. Everyone can go about the business of rebuilding their countries. For a korea, it meant liberation. For that, it was july 4th. Everything was rolled into one. Yes, there was finally piece, but finally liberation, to this day, its called liberation day. That is what august 15th is known for. What happens just before august 15th in 1945 . Well, in the several weeks prior, so beginning in the first week or so, about august, it was already very clear that, you know, whether or not without foresight about the use of the atomic bombs, it was pretty clear that japan would that the allies would be able to defeat japan. It was just a question of more brutal and by the beginning of august, the russians, because of the war on the western front had been essentially one, they began in earnest to march from the north down into the peninsula through manchuria, essentially to battle the japanese. The russians are fighting on the ground. Americans are applauding to drop a big giant atomic bomb on japan. The russians are there in the start watching so. They are already entering the Korean Peninsula into the north. The u. S. Receives this intelligence. They are very worried about this. I should actually correct myself and say the soviets. By this point, the americans began to understand that the soviets, even though they had been crucial allies for the majority of the war, that there was an inkling that there was a problem with the soviets having access. More importantly, what would happen winter panic surrendered . Japan would. If the soviets were already present on the Korean Peninsula, just as we realized had happened in germany and in parts of Eastern Europe in the areas of poland and czechoslovakia and all of the countries in that region, americans knew there would be a problem. On the evening of august 10th at the white house, these two gentlemen who hear any of you might know dean rusk. He becomes a secretary of state to both president s kennedy and to johnson. Charles bonesteel i was told that is how you pronounce his name. Both of them on august 10th, 1945 were Lieutenant Colonels. They were sort of they were both staff at the white house. Colonel bonesteel was assigned from the pentagon. Dean rusk, also Lieutenant Colonel who fought in world war ii, was working at the white house. These two gentlemen are sent off to a side room over at the old executive building to go and figure out how they are going to deal with the soviets. They say you, figure out something so that we can approach the soviets and work out a deal. This is going to get bad if we dont stop the soviets from gaining more access. These two gentlemen go off. Its a very famous story. They bring up all they have available to them i hope i have this graph. Supposedly, its probably not the exact coffee, but its very similar. This is how it wouldve been portrayed. This is the access to a National Geographic alice which 15 raw they couldnt really find curry on the map. This is why i started off the evening with that kind of silly poll asking if you could identify korea. Americans sitting in washington at the white house, no clue. Why would they . It was part of japanese colonial territory. Koreans had essentially not banned their own identity for well over 40 years. It was part of japan. Why japan of actually surrender, we would have to give up all of its previous colonial territories. The real question was, well, who is going to fill that vacuum . Looking at this map, they were told, well, you go and you figure out how it is that we want to go to the russians and we dont want to battle them. Lets make a deal. You proposed something. They sat around all night and they decided if you look on this map, where would you slice it up . Well, its pretty obvious. There is soil right there. If you are sitting there at the white house or in washington and you are thinking, well, thats probably not a good idea to give up its capital, why dont we just settle here on the 30th parallel . Pretty good even line. It is right there. Its just about half of the peninsula. Soviets can sort of be up there. We will be down here with no fighting involved in april point being that we will have access to the soil. Well, this is already the soviets settling and making their way down and even after the japanese surrendered in august of 35, they continued. With the soviets do is after receiving a memo and its called general operation menu one. Approach the soviets with this proposal. The president immediately did that. What was the soviet response . Perfect, thats great. We like that idea. We will go and we will secure all the territory and make sure the japanese dont cause trouble all the way up to the proposed line. They kept their word. They stopped at the 30th parallel and they said, okay, we are done making sure we have all the japanese under our control. We stopped all the fighting. We are in temporary control. Here is the agreed upon border. They stopped their. The americans would not arrive. It will take them several months together military parallel over there. It was occurring japanese territory. The United States had to occupy this defeated japan. It was not on their minds what to do with this tiny little piece of territory which was a former colony. Who cares about that . Our biggest problem is stabilizing japan. The reason the soviets were so amenable to stopping at the 30th parallel is what dean raskin colonel bonesteel could not have known and they didnt know because of their naivete, frankly, about the korean history. In the negotiations leading up to and after that russo japanese war [interpreter] remember that one . The war and the treaty that essentially from korean points of view japan had handed to korea, serve it up on a silver platter. Even going back 50 years, the soviets and the russians at that time had van using the 38th parallel as their negotiation line. They had in fact offered it to the japanese when they went back and forth. One of the reasons they brought into wars because the japanese refused to accept the 30th parallel. They wanted more. Had these two colonels nonna, they surely would not have proposed the 30th parallel. The unrest would later go on to write an autobiography and he explicitly states that in there. Looking back, i certainly would not have done. It was probably one of the worst mistakes we made. Why . Why did the soviets heard that the United States was proposing the 30th parallel, what did the russians here . Oh, well, this must be a tacit agreement that they recognize that we ought to have influence up to you and through the 38th parallel. In other words, the americans helped us broker a deal back in the war with japan. They have the significance of this. This is just another way for america giving us tacit approval. That was certainly not the impression the americans wanted to give. Sorry, this slide just shows you whats happening. You have the festive atmosphere. This is 1948. This is important because it has been three years since korea has been liberated from a japanese colonial rule. What koreans have well, they have been fighting quite gruesomely, quite fiercely. I mean this, was also crucial. Kim ilsung, the founder of north korea, the current ruler, rocket man, as he has been called, rocket mans grandfather came ilsung in fact earned his i dont know what the young kids called. He earned his status by being a supposedly guerrilla fighter up in the mountains of manchuria during Japanese Occupation and then during world war ii. He is its probably more of a mid. In any case, that is important to know because everything is really tied to this nationalist idea. This explains why the kim ill some family which is really a monarchy continues to have holed over north Korean People. This is why north korea has not collapsed. This is part of that mythology. In any case, you see the kind of celebration here. The problem is that korea has already been divided at the 30th parallel. You can see that this is actually a a big mistake by the americans. Hardly any americans spoke korean. They knew very little about the country. All they knew about korea was essentially through the japanese. In fact, things were being translated first from korean to japanese and from japanese to english. It was this gentleman who had spent his years in exile studying in the United States act princeton, as a matter of fact, in addition to here in washington. He was well known in washington. He was a scholar. He was one of the few koreans that was clearly westernized. You can see his dress. Americans were comfortable with him. He had been trying to run, essentially, a Free Korea Movement from overseas. One group had split. One group had sort of split to europe and america. The other group was essentially the government in exile in shanghai. This also goes a long way to explain precisely why there is a further shift between north and south as we begin to see it once those in korea that are the leaders of this Independence Movement are operating out of china they set by then, china, of course, is having its own civil war with the communists. Now its a tong is already on his march and leaning his armies. They come on that influence ideologically. The other side is actually clearly influenced by the west and america. As you can see from this quote, he says the country that was lost 40 years ago is found again. The people who died live again. He was pledging, i am going to reunite our country. Increasingly, that is not become impossible. This is apparently put on by the Woodrow Wilson site. You can go and they put on a wonderful frankly, one of the best archives of cold war history. They have this video which you can watch. I dont have it here. In any case, so, what ends up happening is the two sides essentially syngman rhee under the u. S. Is not quite u. S. Occupation although that is what many koreas will call it. They will tell you that. It is essentially u. S. Oversight over the southern half. Their soviet oversight over the over the northern half. You have these very charismatic and ideologically opposed leaders which are essentially certainly being supported if not a stooge or a toad or a tool or of their patron powers. That is what Many South Koreans also would end up believing about their own leader. In any case, a fateful day on august 15th, 1948, which, is of course syngman rhee declares that he says there can only one government for korea. Korea is one country. It always has been for thousands of years. We are going to now that we are free of our colonial oppressors, we are going to make it. We cannot be divided. I am declaring the republic of korea, south korea. He declared it and said, i am the president. Im going to be the president of all of korea. He meant all of this territory, the entire Korean Peninsula. Kim ilsung in the north was not having any of that. He had the same ambitions. He then follows suit a number of days later. He declares his own republic. The democratic peoples republic of korea. Of course, the North Koreans, being korean, they have to do one better. Notice that they have to do one better than not foreigners are outsiders, but one better than essentially their brethren. They are related. This is why that word that i mentioned earlier, paradox, begins to make sense to you. This is one of the dominating paradoxes about the Korean Peninsula. When you meet koreans you will see that in a moment. They become bitter enemies. They end up killing each other to the tune of by the end of this brutal korean war, more than 10 Million People. If you add everybody up, essentially anywhere from 5 Million People some say more, essentially pleasure. This is one of the most brutal civil wars. The civil war in our country was bad enough. It was even worse because the armaments are more modern and devastating. A more ironic name there could not be. The democratic peoples republic of korea. , tothey are both competing. By the way, just to completely destroy another myth that many of you might have by the way, it is on almost every single internet website. Please, please, please, i beg you, do not look things up on the internet if you want to sort of no real and current history. Most of it will give you the it will say, on its that hot, humid summer day, all was quiet and peaceful in south korea and especially insole when suddenly masses of these communist north koreas kim pulling out over. They just took over. It is absolutely true that the north korean stage it crosses what has been this 38th parallel and had been in agreement between the soviets and the United States, again, you can actually called him occupying powers. It was temporary. It was a temporary Occupying Force which was essentially keeping civilian control until and this is key, until the Korean People could establish for themselves their own independent political process and elect their own leader. At that time, the two powers would withdraw. That had been the agreement. Well, neither syngman rhee or chemical some were going to accept the. They either said and flight to their people, were not going to accept that. I am the only legitimate ruler of the united korea. The fighting actually began earlier. It essentially begins in 1948. You have, you do have the small military you have this actually being maintained. It is supposed to be a neutral territory. Thats the dividing line. There are already battles which had occurred. There were incursions. By the way, the south koreans were threatening on a daily basis to attack the north. There is some evidence that had kim ilsung not taken the initiative, most likely, syngman rhee would have eventually. He didnt have his military forces up to par. The United States would not have allowed it, meaning given him a lot of pressure. He had given him a lot of pressure. If syngman rhee at his way kim ilsung was begging for permission from both mountain and stall into he was playing the two off of each other. By the, way another region which explains north korea survival. They are very good at playing the powers against each other. Kim ilsung bagged mao zedong on a daily basis, im about to invade and take over south korea. They will fall easily. If you just provide me additional equipment and support, i can take care of this. It will take a matter of days. Both of them in no Uncertain Terms said absolutely not. We will not tolerate this. You cant do this. None of us can afford to go back to war again. Remember, this is only just two or three years after world war ii had ended. Neither country, neither the soviets they essentially were actually probably in worse shape than any of the european powers at this point. It was falling apart. It had already undergone its own civil war. Mao zedong and the communist revolution mao zedong 1947 china was an utter mess. It was absolutely not interested in getting involved in this pesky little mess called the the annoying koreans are often causing problems for the chinese. Dont engage. You certainly dont want to engage western powers. No, i dont know on certain terms. Well, again, a very long history. There is some evidence that came ilsung got different signals. In any case, he makes a decision. That fateful day, he comes swarming over the 30th parallel. He crosses easily into seoul. By the way, you can see it on the map. For those of you who live in the d. C. Area, it is basically about the distance between downtown d. C. And the airport. It really is very much not far. Other than the traffic, it is really a very close distance. Very easily what happens kim ilsung was not just bragging. He was right. He basically was able to work his way through. He essentially demolished it and pushed i mean, an all out war begins and you can see here something called this purple line. Essentially, all the Major Military forces that south korea had they just basically it just went crumbling and the forces immediately and very quickly advanced, pushing everyone down to something called the pusan perimeter, which you might have heard of. Well all the fighting is going on, there are about 15 or 20 million civilians in the way, which is quite inconvenient. This is just another picture or a satellite image which shows you this kind of in a more graphic way. Okay, well, i think id better starts beating this up. Without going too many details about what ends up happening very quickly. As soon as this day, as soon as news reaches sorry, im going to fast forward to this. As soon as news reaches truman in fact, sherman was at his home in missouri. I forget the nickname of his own there. It was summer, after all. He gets woken up in the middle of the night. He is told, mister president , we have a major problem. The communists have invaded south korea. I cant remember exactly but part of the story is, they have invaded what now . Basically not even able to identify where is korea. Who are the koreans . Why do we care . Is it just we can let the soviets have a. No, mister president there is a major problem. Immediately within 24 hours truman goes to the United Nations. Remember what i said at the very beginning . The korean war ends up being about so much more than just the future and the fate of, what was the population of the Korean Peninsula back in 1950 . 30 million koreans, maybe less. 20 million koreans. For the koreans, of course, it is everything their whole life. I mean, what could they possibly care about outside of their own country and their own future . For the rest of the world, imagine this the United Nations has only just been established. In fact, i believe, this is very weak, right now, in new york all of the World Leaders are gathering at the United Nations General Assembly for this grand anniversary, right . To celebrate the establishment of, one of, the most extraordinary cooperative International Institutions ever conceived of. However actually institutionalized certainly in the history of global civilization. The poll that i ask earlier those of you so i Woodrow Wilson he is very well known for having earned the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating the settlement after world war i. Also for establishing something called the league of nations. They were a failure. We all know that Nothing Happened with the league of nations. Not only did nothing happen with it, his grand dream, his vision, building a war in which a war to end all wars would be the very last war. Disagreements in the International System would be settled, not with the gun, but that the sword shall be what is that phrase . Beaten into plow shares. That is actually the motto that you see in the General Assembly building in the un, if you ever go up there. The United Nations is, was, and extraordinary idea. An extraordinary institution by the way, fit into the United States planned for stabilizing the Global Economy along with the other global institutions like the International Monetary fund, the world bank which will grow out of it. The final component of this, what we have as the wto but started as gantt. That trade disputes were at the heart of a major reason why world war ii erupted. Now the idea that collective security institutions, international ones, will actually be the arbiters of peace and cooperation. This is how we settle disagreements. Well, no one thought that the United Nations would be challenged so soon. So, within 24 hours the United States because it has a see on the security council, convenes a emergency meeting of the other security members. They say, this cannot be tolerated this is a violation of the most fundamental principle of the United Nation. Everybodys membership in it. Everybody was allowed to become a member, the countries that were, precisely because the first thing that all countries agreed to was recognizing and respecting the sovereignty of other countries. You simply cannot go invade another country so, emergency meeting called. There is a long story about exactly why it is the resolution passes. There was something funny happening with china. We have to remember, 1950, it is actually the republic of china, meaning taiwan, the member of the United Nations. It was not the prc. The communist government now in control, led by mouse a tongue in beijing that was a member. That is something to do with it at any case. It is approved unanimously. Russia was a veto they basically decided just not to show up. What happened . The United Nation countries the United States immediately form something called the United Nations command. Let me dispel one of the single most important, factually correct, ideas that most people have about the korean war. The United States never actually officially participate well, let me say this. Everybody thinks it was a u. S. Led war, on the Korean Peninsula. It was not. Technically, it was the United Nations command. Although the United Nations took military leadership, very quickly did so. One of the most famous generals, general macarthur, is sent over there after his big victory serving in tokyo. He is commander to go and lead the famous landing at inchon. It was done under, technically, the un flag. Is and always has been the combatants in the korean war are the United Nations command countries, the belligerents are, essentially, it is essentially starts off as north korea. We will see, if i have the time, in a minute, to show how china becomes involved. Looking at this map, im showing all of the countries that end up supporting and sending troops some of them, quite significant. It is actually, it is poignant in some ways. Tiny little countries. Who wouldve thought countries like ethiopia or turkey or greece or thailand. Even tiny new zealand way over here would immediately come to the call and start sending troops . Sending troops over to korea to fly. Remember, only a few years out since we were too had ended. It is actually a remarkable story. These are all the nations. These are the nations that would end up providing not direct military support. There are all sorts of phony issues about status, some of them are not quite independent because of the end world war ii. Of course, germany, west germany. Technically would not have military troops to send and so on. These countries immediately commit themselves to sending they do end up sending quite very significant and very crucially important medical support. That is really nothing to overlook or dismiss as trivial. They end up having significant impact. Not just in the number of lives a save. But also the help they gave to combatants and also koreans. Their involvement there being involved with these medical units medical missions, actually did quite a lot to help south korea establish and advance their own medical facilities. In other words, hospitals are set up. This effort continues on for years, even after the armistice is signed in 1953. Quickly here some other countries, many countries and up providing some support. Again, countries you might not never think of. Columbia, for example. This is the total list. You will actually see the numbers some countries, i mean, here is holland. They send 44 people, right . The number is not even really the point of much asked, it is an incredible sacrifice. In fact, luxembourg, they send under benelux along with belgium and along with belgium, a very small number. But actually, the stories that come out from some of the battles. There are several longstanding bourgeois soldiers. They end up getting the highest military award in recognition of their incredible valor and some of them were killed some of them are in the most heroic stories take for a moment and see what happens on the other side North Koreans you quickly see that china ends up joining it is essentially because mcarthur lands in inchon. Quickly ends up pushing the North Koreans back to the border with china. China calls the yeah liu river as soon as mcarthur pushes these Korean Forces up near the chinese border china gets nervous. That is basically a pretext for them to come into china. We know they are coming into china next. We know that these countries have a problem with communism. What does china do . China enters and says to kim ilsung what it refused to do earlier. We are not having any of this. Frankly speaking, if we dont come in to help you we are going to be screwed. It was not exactly magnanimity, or a designer or effort to really help the poor North Koreans, as much as china viewed it as a growing existential threat. You can see the number of forces a china ends of committing. They are actually remarkable. Up to as many as 3 million. In fact, this also goes a very, very, long way to explaining those of you who read about, in the news, you hear about chinas support. Continued support for north korea, in fact, it is true. The reason north korea does continue to survive, despite isolating itself, is precisely because china is supporting north korea, continuing to do that. Why . Because part of it is because china feels, obviously, it is in chinas interest to do so. A lot of it has to do with the fact that there is a lot of sympathy in china. There were, in fact, so many chinese who fought in, what they call, the war. The chinese do not call the korean war the korean war. Their name for it, their war to help their younger brothers, the North Koreans. By the way, soldiers millions of them, they wore, technically, not pla. The Peoples Liberation army. In fact, mao zedong very deliberately sets up something called the Peoples Volunteer army. They are, technically, a volunteer militia, i suppose. I hope its the next slide, well show you what ends up happening. Americans and in the war, they end up pushing the North Koreans up an out. Excuse my graphics there it gets a little messy. The americans are able to do that because of this very famous landing in inchon. Mcarthur basically leads this charge. September, 1950. Less than three months after the north korean invasion. The un resolution. And, by the way, the fact that the United States was completely unprepared for this type of war, it had already been decommissioning most of its military, and its navy it had basically certainly had no assets anywhere near korea, other than in japan. It was felt that it was necessary to leave them in japan. To protect or keep control, over japan. It is remarkable what ends up happening. Let me then get to this is one of the, under the umbrella of incredible ramifications that the korean war ends of happening, far, far beyond the millions of dead will leave on the Korean Peninsula. The fact that it would divide as many as 10 million families. Weve seen some of these pictures. These families, essentially, were divided because of the closing of that border. I mean, husbands ripped from wives. Children and parents ripped from each other. Millions of families you see this now because you often see pictures. Attempts by the north and the south to hold the family reunions. Pictures of these people in their 80s and 90s, they havent seen each other in 70 years they did not know if they were dead or alive. You can imagine what that must be like, being reimagined reunited with people. Fast forward. What is the real impact for the korean war, everyone in the world aside from the koreans . Actually, it completely turned the direction of what u. S. Policies are going to be like. Both foreign and domestic, after world war ii. By 1950, the United States, the truman administration, had no intention of ever going first, could not have imagined most americans would not have imagined a cold war. They certainly would not have imagined, having as a priority, its Foreign Policy and ensuring and deterring and actually eliminating the communist threat. That would never have occurred to them. Had the korean war not occurred, i think we wouldve seen a very, very, different america we certainly wouldve seen a different economy. The military, certainly, on their way of being, not dismantled, but definitely not prioritize. What ends of happening is the korean war well, in the world we live in. The military industrial complex. This actually begins, in earnest, with the korean war. We know as a result of over two but primarily without the korean war the u. S. Government probably would not have made those deliberate choices to continue to militarized and industrialized and to make all these advantages to the military. By the way, i should point now, my pictures are just going to continue here. These are just pictures of the inchon landing. You can begin to see the full fourth with which the United States hurdled itself and lead this command of the 17 nations originally joined. By the way just as an aside if there are any perhaps there are some korean veterans with us in the audience, listening and watching. I dont know how many of you have gone back to korea since then. One of the sad realities is a generation of our veterans, who fought in these war. World war i, weve lost them all. We are quickly losing almost all of our world war ii veterans. Also, very quickly, korean war veterans. At the youngest they would be 90 years old, ray . The reality is most of these americans, boys because that is what they were. The majority of them were men, although some women did serve. The majority were men. Not even men, boys. They were very young. They were drafted and. We are just coming out of watching all of this. Our exhaustion with afghanistan. If you look at the numbers, im a little afraid to fast forward. I know i put a chart hand here to so you. We have been fighting in afghanistan over the last 20 years, essentially. The total number of troops, i believe, that have been killed is somewhere around 3000, if im not mistaken, give or take. A atrociously, tens of thousands more maimed and wounded. Never mind the kinds of non physical wounds that they carry. But, i might point out to you that, the numbers in korea are just devastating it ends up being, as i say i am a little afraid to fast or because i believe up my chart at the very end that. I will have time to get to it. The total number of american soldiers killed in combat is just over 33,000. Which is why i started off at the very beginning showing you that monument. To the korean war. I strongly suggest anybody who lives in the Washington Area and have never visited the korean war monument. Youre at the Lincoln Memorial, just behind the trees. Essentially right across from the vietnam oil. That is to memorials, they could not be more different inartistic representation. There is something incredibly moving about the incredible difference in those two styles. You have it actually is so revealing. What it says about america. Our society. At the time what it was going through, how we have been thinking about wars since the korean war. Because, look, the korean war is the war that began to change the american publics view about war. Think about it, more work to this is essentially how we still think about what were to. Just a moment ago i was mentioning, in your minds to as soon as i mentioned the veterans from forward to your so quickly dying out all of us feel this hanging. We all feel, oh automatically. They are just these incredible heroes that deserve all of our thanks. Well, i think i took a survey, precisely to see when you were born. Most of you will know this from your own experience, that was not the attitude of never mind what americans thought about war. But about, soldiers having served in more. Because of vietnam. Where we vietnam alone was not where we made that turning point. Where american attitude about our military about serving in war even the necessity even morality those debates actually began with the korean war i cannot emphasize this enough. If you remember the 19 50s. In fact, just when the Civil Rights Movement was taking off. Here i really do wish i could find the slide. I will quickly if youll just bear with me as i fast forward. Im so sorry to jump in. We are a bit overtime. That is what i figured i will just leave you with this quickly mentioning that there is a book i cant recall if i put it on the resource list. Paul robeson, some of you may know and one of our most wellknown and well respected African American musicians, he was involved in this hands off Korea Movement he ended up having to testify before congress leading a Civil Rights Movement. Because it was linked to the war itself and also the u. S. Role in korea there are margie mates to be made by many civil rights leaders. In fact this is exactly why, later on the korean war was the first war that actually was desegregated. That was issued that would never have occurred without the korean war. Essentially, this is the war that ends up changing the world. For me on what we think. Of course, the real tragedy is our status today it is a war that is still going on, technically. We ended up, i showed you the map with all the forces going back and forth. We are back at the division of the 38th parallel. Both koreas, technically claim, they are the Constitutional Authority over the other. The way things are going now it doesnt look like any process has been made, necessarily, when the tension between these two countries. We do call them to countries now. This is what its become. These are the cost of the war. This is downtown seoul. Any of you who have been to seoul, or noah. Can you imagine . This is the miracle. The miracle on the han that everyone talks about when they look at korea today. But also is sadness because for every korean this is still it is still a living legacy. It doesnt look like this, surely, but if the war is not over, the war is not over. So, and the possibility of this war heather, i will now open it up to you, i apologize for going over. No, its okay unfortunately, we are overtime we wont have any time for questions. We have provided you Balbina Hwang, you can reach out to her through the email in the chat. Thank you so much, for taking us through this very complex history. If you are enjoying American History tv, sign up for our newsletter using the qr code on our screen to receive the weekly schedule of are coming programs, the presidency, and more. Sign up for the American History tv newsletter today. Be sure to watch American History tv every saturday or anytime online at cspan. Org slash history. Weekends on cspan two are an intellectual feast. Every saturday, American History tv documents america story. And on sundays, book tv brings you the latest in nonfiction books and authors. Funding for cspan two comes from these television companies, and more. Including mediacom. The world changed in an instant. Mediacom was ready. In a traffic sword. We never slowed down. Schools and businesses went virtual, we powered a new reality. Because that media come, we are built to keep you ahead