Ep 2 "Many Roads to War" (ENGLISH SUBTITLES)

Korean War

Time period: August 1948 to March 1950.
An explanation of the Yeosu-Suncheon Rebellion, the Jeju Island Uprising, the withdrawl of the U.S. and Soviet occupation forces, and the strong willingness of both the northern AND southern regimes to begin a war to unify Korea. This episode deals with the January 12, 1950 Press Club speech by US Secretary of State Dean Acheson which left Korea out of the United States' "defense perimeter". Also is an explanation of the North Korean preparations for war. Stalin forces Mao to sign a defense treaty with North Korea. The May 1950 South Korean elections. John Foster Dulles visits the 38th Parallel. The United Nations Commission visits the 38th Parallel to make sure war would not break out (June 1950). The start of the North Korean attack (June 25th). The North Koreans blame the South for starting the wider conflict. The Korean Civil War enters into a major phase: The South Korean military attempts to deal with the initial attack from the North in June 1950. The North Koreans blame the South Korean army on the Ongjin Peninsula of attacking first. The North Koreans were clearly ready for war, but may have been waiting for the very first provocation from the South to justify an attack, (likely similar to the Russia-Georgia conflict of 2008, or the Russian attack on Ukraine in February 2022).