Sunday, September 09, 2007
This Day in the History of Evil
On this day in 1948, the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea) was created out of the former Japanese possession captured by Russian troops during their week long entry into the Pacific theater of WWII. The Great Leader, Kim Il-song, became one of only two autocratic leaders the country has known. At first, North Korea was Marxist-Leninist but now follows Juche (created by the Great Leader) which has come to mean 'on our own' but which really means 'doing without most things' like food or electricity. Within less than 2 years, on June 24, 1950, the North Koreans would start a war to conquer the South. We didn't let them but the war has never ended. The less than adequately grateful South Koreans live in a hit or miss democracy but with much greater freedom and a higher standard of living (as opposed to 2 million dying of starvation) due to our efforts. It is difficult to believe that North Korea will remain so poorly led through a third autocrat, but perhaps that's wishful thinking.
Labels: Post WWII history; Pacific theater
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 10:16 AM 
