In 1976 a South Korean work force, escorted by two US officers, attempted to trim a poplar tree that was blocking the view from an outpost of the bridge of no return. A group of North Korean soldiers were given orders to kill the US soldiers. Both of the officers were beaten and killed with the axes that were being used to trim the tree. North Korea promptly sent out a news bulliten stating the the US soldiers had attacked the North Koreans and that the UN was planning an invasion.
Within days President Ford enacted Operation Paul Bunyan. The operation consisted of a work force of 16 army engineers, now equipped with chainsaws. They were protected by two platoons of armed US soldiers, 64 South Korean soldiers, 23 vehicles, 27 helicopters, and several B-52 bombers. As an extra precaution the edge of the DMZ was lined with US and South Korean troops, the aircraft carrier USS Midway and its task force were moved offshore from the DMZ, 12,000 US troops were moved from Okinawa to Korea, and Bombers carrying nuclear weapons were flying in the area.
Do you think that a US reaction of this size was necessary?
Replies
Well done!
Probably. North Korea is a formidable force, which explains the reason that they are still a threat and in power. Maybe it was a little over the top, but better safe than sorry.
I think what they did was wrong, Korea needs to stop doing this to the US. They wonder why we don't care for them. I think that they should pay a price.
I think it may have been too much. Why did North Korea order just the US soldiers to be killed? Why not the whole group? Or did they kill everyone?
They only killed the US soldiers. After the incident the North Korean government said that the North Koreans killed the Americans because the North Korean soldiers were outnumbered and that the Americans attacked them first. But an American guard tower watched the entire event unfold and the South Korean work force were both able to relay a bit more accurate report of the events.
Okay, I think I understand now. I don't think the North Korean people should have killed the US soldiers.
I think this was a way to show that if they did it again we had the means to take them out entirely. I think America was trying to intimidate them to not try an attack again.
I agree and I think that they would have attacked North Korea if they would have reacted.
I think it was necessary to show that we will not give up on something like that..
Yes, being beaten with an axe brutal way to go, especially for an officer. I think that the South Koreans should have been more careful with the axes, and the officers should have been a bit more observant.
The US reaction was called for because that was a North Korean act of war. We could have been invading and taking over the north the day after the incident.
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