After the Pacific War ended with the forced surrender of Japan, Mao Zedong's victory in mainland China certified that socialism was advancing, placing a new battlefield in the Far East after having advanced in Europe. A warning for the United States and its Truman doctrine, to avoid the rapid international expansion of regimes aligned with Moscow at the beginning of the Cold War.
Washington's diplomatic formula worked well in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, where the political, military and fundamentally economic support of the United States to regimes of dubious democratic quality – if not cruel dictatorships – worked in the fight against communist and national liberation movements. local.
In Korea, one of the countries invaded by Japan, the United States and the Soviet Union, as winners of the war, decided to establish a Solomonic solution similar to the one they had taken in Europe, particularly in Germany: divide the country in two and establish a artificial border at the 38th parallel that divides the peninsula in half.
The Truman Administration endorsed the figure of Syngman Rhee, president of the Korean Government in exile during the Japanese occupation of the country, who with some interruptions had been in the United States for 40 years, where he had been trained. In the north of the country, the internal resistance led by Kim Il-sung militarily controlled half of the Korean peninsula with the support of Beijing and Moscow.
But the deck was broken on June 25, 1950, when the North Korean Army, with the support of Soviet armor, crossed the 38th parallel and planted itself in Seoul, which it took with ease. With the approval of the United Nations and the leadership on the battlefield of American General Douglas MacArthur, an international coalition that gathered up to 900,000 troops managed to turn the tables and from the stronghold of Busan, in the southeast of the country, He reconquered the peninsula until he reached Pyongyang.
With international troops on its border, China added fuel to the fire and became fully involved in a war that became a major threat when the world had just emerged from a devastating Second World War, now with a large-scale nuclear risk. very present. So all the parties opted for prudence and forced the local contenders to sign an armistice after three years of conflict that, without resolving anything, ended in the first focus of armed conflict between the two new blocs that marked the new world order.
Both Kim Il-Sung and Syngman Rhee resisted peace, to the point of being forced into a simple truce, again endorsed by the United Nations, which remains 70 years later. Seoul's rejection was especially significant, although Dwight Eisenhower – who had Korea as his main front after taking office in January 1953, since the more than 40,000 Americans killed in Korea weighed heavily on his election – could not be more explicit with his partner: truce with us or war without us. This was stated to Syngman Rhee in the document that we offer in full, which emerged after the signing of the armistice.
Read the armistice agreement
“Dear Mr. President:
”The Republic of Korea has committed all its resources, human and material, in a struggle that will go down in history as one of the epic struggles of all time. You have devoted all your efforts, without reservation, to the principle that human freedom and national freedom must survive against communist aggression that tramples on human dignity and replaces national sovereignty with a humiliating satellite status. The principles for which your nation has fought and for which so many of its young people have died are principles that defend free men and free nations everywhere.
”The United States has been with you and with you we have fought for those principles, as part of the United Nations Command. The blood of your youth and ours has been shed on the altar of common sacrifice. In this way we have demonstrated not only our dedication to the cause of human freedom and political freedom, but also our dedication to an equally important principle: there can be no independence without interdependence, and there can be no human freedom except when men recognize that They are united by ties of common destiny.
”The time has come when we must decide whether to pursue the struggle for Korean unification through war or pursue this goal through political and other methods.
”The enemy has proposed an armistice that implies a clear abandonment of the fruits of aggression. The armistice would leave the Republic of Korea in undisputed possession of substantially the territory it administered before the aggression; in fact, this territory would expand somewhat.
”The proposed armistice, faithful to the principle of political asylum, guarantees that the thousands of North Korean and Chinese communist prisoners in our hands, who have seen freedom and wish to share it, will have the opportunity to do so and will not be returned to communist areas. We could not honorably renounce the principle of political asylum, even if by doing so we would first put an end to our own human and material losses. We have suffered many thousands of casualties together in support of this principle.
”I am deeply convinced that, under these circumstances, the acceptance of the armistice by the United Nations and the Republic of Korea is required. It would not be justified to prolong the war with all the misery it entails in the hope of achieving, by force, the unification of Korea.
”The unification of Korea is an end to which the United States is committed, not once but many times, through its World War II declarations and its acceptance of the principles enunciated in reference to Korea by the United Nations. Unfortunately, Korea is not the only country still divided after World War II. We remain determined to play our part in bringing about the political union of all divided countries. But we do not intend to use war as an instrument to achieve the global political agreements to which we are dedicated and which we believe are just. In fact, it was a crime for those who attacked from the north to invoke violence to unite Korea under their rule. I say this not only as your official friend but as a personal friend.
”I urge that your country does not adopt a similar course. There are three main points that I would like to tell you:
”The United States will not give up its efforts by all peaceful means to achieve the unification of Korea. Also as a member of the United Nations we will try to ensure that the United Nations remains firm in its resolve in this regard. In the political conference that will follow an armistice, that will be our central objective. The United States intends to consult with your Government before and during such conference and looks forward to your Government's full participation in that conference.
”You talk about a mutual defense pact. I am prepared to negotiate with you, immediately upon the conclusion and acceptance of an armistice, a treaty of mutual defense similar to the treaties heretofore concluded between the United States and the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand. You may remember that both treaties speak of 'the development of a more comprehensive system of regional security in the Pacific area'. A security pact between the United States and the Republic of Korea would be another step in that direction. It would cover territory now or hereafter peacefully placed under the administration of the Republic of Korea.
”Of course, you are aware that under our constitutional system any such treaty would only be entered into with the advice and consent of the Senate. However, the measures that the United States has taken so far and the great investment of blood and funds that has already been made for Korean independence are certainly clear indications of the American character and intentions of not tolerating a repetition of unprovoked aggression. .
”The United States Government, subject to appropriations required by Congress, will be willing to continue economic assistance to the Republic of Korea, allowing for the peaceful restoration of its devastated land. The houses must be rebuilt. Industry must be restored and agriculture must be vigorously productive.
”The preamble of the United States Constitution sets forth the objectives of our people, which I believe are equally the objectives of the brave people of Korea, namely, 'to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure internal tranquility, ensure the common good, promote the general well-being and secure the benefits of liberty'. It is evident that not all of these conditions now prevail in Korea. Furthermore, under current circumstances they cannot be achieved either by prolonging the current conflict or by recklessly venturing into a new one. Only through peaceful means can these things be achieved.
”By signing an armistice, the United States is willing to join the Republic of Korea in achieving these goals. We believe that there should be a more perfect union in Korea and, as I say, we will seek to achieve that union by all peaceful methods. We believe that there must be internal tranquility and that can come from the end of the fighting.
”There should be provisions for the defense of Korea. That will arise from the mutual security treaty that we are willing to sign. The general welfare must be promoted and that will come from your own efforts in peacetime and from economic assistance to your war-torn land. Finally, a peaceful settlement will provide the best opportunity to bring the blessings of freedom to his people.
”I assure you, Mr. President, when it comes to the United States, our desire is to move forward in collaboration with the Republic of Korea. Even the thought of a separation at this critical time would be a tragedy. We must remain united.”
