Forgetting History

Forgetting History - The Missourian: Editorials

Forgetting History

Posted: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 5:00 pm

North Korea has a young dictator who apparently doesn’t know his country’s history. Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s communist dictator, is flirting with losing China as a friend and protector.

If he knew his country’s history, he then would recognize the fact that China, with some help from Russia, saved North Korea from total defeat during the Korean War (1950-53) by United Nations forces, chiefly the United States. Had China not entered the war after North Korea invaded South Korea, the United Nations surely would have taken over the North and that country would not exist as it does today. China supplied the ground forces while Russia provided guns, ammo and airplanes, for the North Korean military.

Under Kim Jong Un today, North Korea is threatening the South and the United States. China doesn’t like that. An expected nuclear test by the North may explode China’s frustration with supporting Kim. China doesn’t want a war. North Korea could never wage a war without help from China. And, the North can’t count on Russia for help. Russia today is not the Soviet Union of yesteryear!

Kim is using an old dictator’s practice of using propaganda to tell the people that the South and the United States are the enemies and he must protect them from the evil forces. Apparently, that old tactic is working even though there is unrest due to the fact that many of the people are starving.

Beijing has been unsuccessful in telling North Korea to back off its belligerent posture and behave. China has gotten tough with North Korea, which if it would strike at the South or directly at the United States it could be removed from the map!

China did reach out to Kim when he assumed control of North Korea after his father died in December 2011. China continued to provide aid and investment, but North Korea has ignored China’s interests with two rocket launches and a nuclear test plan. China regards North Korea as a buffer against U.S. troops based in South Korea and Japan. It is possible that China will get even tougher with North Korea, ordering it to calm down, end its nuclear threats and reform its broken economy.

China has a real problem with North Korea’s dictator who isn’t listening to warnings from its only real benefactor. Kim is stupid if he doesn’t back down. He’s so stupid he’s dangerous.