The Korean War, A History. By Bruce Cumings - Part 1

http://www.mslaw.edu http://www.achls.org

Bruce Cumings, Chairman of the Department of History at the University of Chicago and author of The Korean War: A History, joins Dean Lawrence R. Velvel in part one of this episode of Books of Our Time.

Cumings and Velvel discuss the historical origins of the Korean war, from the early disputes between North and South Korea and then on thru to the more recent history of North Korea, from General MacArthur's massive underestimation of the North Korean army, to the north's involvement with China, all the way to the great famine and the collapse of the Soviet Union.

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[pite9]

@AntonBatey As an expert he should have made it clear that NK could have prevented the famine by investing in agriculture and importing food. How about if they sent their military out on fishing boats instead? The reason why they haven't invested in large scale fishing is because it would lead to mass-defections to the South and Japan. Sweden have a similar geography to NK, and if we can do well, so can they.

[AntonBatey]

@pite9

I certainly agree. The only thing I would disagree with is your insinuation that Professor Cumings justifies this expenditure rather than state the position of the North Korean government, and their perspective.

[pite9]

@AntonBatey Yes. It's obvious that they have overinvested into their army for defensive purposes, but when your ppl is starving, food should be the first priority. There is no excuse for the starvation, and blaming it on outside factors, like Bruce does is just wrong. Someone with his expertise should know better. It's not that what he's saying is wrong, but he's pointing out things that make NK look better on purpose. A true expert should point out the important facts.

[AntonBatey]

@Iamsongforthee

There appears to be certain aspects of Confucianism that is in accord with attributes to ones that Kim Il Sung supposedly bore. The same is similar to Stalinism and why it succeeded in the Soviet Union (Russians, by and large, for hundreds of years believed in the almost “divinity” of the Czars, and Stalin exploited that). As for the horrific dictatorial rule of North Korea, Cumings outlines it in great detail, and does not justify or apologize for it.

[Iamsongforthee]

@AntonBatey The Economist

"North Korea after Kim Jong Il

We need to talk about Kim

Regime change in the worst country on earth should be planned for, not just hoped for"

Please read it.

[Iamsongforthee]

@AntonBatey How do you know North Koreans are "susceptible" to personal cult? That's your belief. Where do you get the information you need to confirm your convictions? Do you know the number of North Korean refugees and the number of those imprisoned in the concentration camps? Bruce is a naked defender of the worst totalitarian regime. I strongly recommend you read this article in the Economist. What do you think Bruce will say to that?

[AntonBatey]

@pite9

I am not justifying North Korea’s vast military expenditure, but I think that more money was allocated to that sector because the collapse of the USSR created an insecurity in the state that, to them, justified an increase in the military budget. North Korea was recognized internationally for having a well-functioning chemical program for crops, and of all the explanations I’ve read, Mr. Cumings seems the most reasonable and logical.

[AntonBatey]

@Iamsongforthee

I don’t think that Mr. Cumings “justified” Kim Il Sung’s régime at all. I think he put it in a historical context that Kim was dealing with a people who were, by and large, susceptible to cult personalities. He spent many pages condemning the atrocities of the authoritarian police state, so I think you saying he “justified” it is an unfair criticism.

[pite9]

You can't blame the food crisis (which still goes on) on the collapsing chemical industry. North Korea at that time was overinvesting into their army and could have invested that money into their agriculture. Plus, many of the farmers were forced at the time to produce drugs, because it was more profitable. Also, a good government would have reacted to the fall of the Soviet Union and the rising prices by putting the ppl first. NK prioritized governmental stability and the army over the ppl.