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By Daniel Jessup - 15 Years Ago
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Maybe this is just a little rant, but I know there are some Korean War vets on here, I'm sure, so maybe you can appreciate this. I have been watching the news lately and I cannot get over how the Commie artillery can just fire a bunch of rounds into South Korean territory (albeit an island that is mostly military, but still!) and kill all those people....why can't we QUIET that crowd??? Too much politics! You think a general like McArthur would have let this go with just a few words? We have a Korean War vet in our church - Jack Caldwell. He was one of the few left on Pork Chop Hill after the enemy tried to overun their position. Jack is a great guy, and he has been pretty tough, tough enough to hang on all these years. He's still a pretty strong fella, and although his mind is weak, he still has a sense of duty and a sense of all things that are right. Jack is getting pretty old, but he told me the other day in one of his alzheimer moments, "Dan, they called me up the other day, I am going back over there to finish the job we started. They need me with the men." -- In his mind he was convinced that he was going back over to Korea to fight in the war. He wasn't in his right mind (or was he?), so I certainly played along with him, admiring his true grit. I simply told him, "We'd be proud to have you over there, Mr. Caldwell. Give it to 'em!" Knowing what Jack has given, and what so many others have given, for the cause of freedom, I can't help but get riled up over the situation in Korea right now.
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By paul2748 - 15 Years Ago
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The simple answer is - Yeah, we ought to go and bomb them back to the dark ages
The tougher answer is - what are we going to do when the 10 of thousands of their soldiers go across the DMZ and we do 1950's all over again. You have to remember, to the leaders of both the North Koreans and the Chinese, human life means next to nothing to them, just fodder for the slaughter.
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By Fordy Guy - 15 Years Ago
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How can one sick little man have that much power over his people and get away with it? Seems like the smaller the man, the bigger his image has to be. (but I guess they're all small). When his people finally realize that the other countries are leaning to South Korea, maybe a couple of well placed shots could end this uprising and make his next successor to step in his shoes walk a little lighter and quieter. Just my 2 yens worth
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By paul2748 - 15 Years Ago
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The answer to that one is easy too. Control travel, newspapers, radio, TV and now the internet. Don't let them hear anything but your own diatribes. The problem is that one little person (Man? -huh)controls all that and gives money to all those that will do as he wants. These other people probably could not survive an open society.
Fordy Guy (11/27/2010)
How can one sick little man have that much power over his people and get away with it?
Seems like the smaller the man, the bigger his image has to be. (but I guess they're all small).
When his people finally realizethat the other countries are leaning to South Korea, maybe a couple of well placed shots could end this uprising and make hisnext successor to step in his shoes walk a little lighter and quieter.
Just my 2 yens worth
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By Doug T - 15 Years Ago
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A little history reading (try the Coldest Winter) will show that McArthur was blindsided at the start of the korean war while he sat in Japan as the surpreme commander. He seriously screwed up the early going with bad commanders and poor direction. (He did seem to do a good job in reorganizing the Japanese government). But then he and his command were very adept at landing in Inchon well behind the North Korean lines. He then blew it again as the Americans (and UN troops) attacked north towards the Chinese boarder. He himself was in Japan most of the time. Our supply lines and logistics were very bad and we were really unprepared for the Chinese to attack although there was plenty of intelligence to indicate the Chicoms were coming. In addition McArthur was not just distainful of civilian authority he was positively hostile towards Truman. The end came when McArthur wanted to use the atom bomb against the Chicoms. The real question is why after nearly 60 years and a South Korean economy that is gutting ours, we are still there and paying for the "privilege". You would think that the South Koreans could mount their own defense against podunk jerks like the Kims. But to pull this back to the area of Y blocks, remember this is the era that saw FoMoCo design of the Y and get the production lines going.
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By Daniel Jessup - 15 Years Ago
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No doubt there is more meaning to the term "big brother" than we care to realize. Because we have been such a presence around the world, our economy, our resources, and our men and women have volunteered to be used for the purpose of defense. And so many of these countries have been lulled into a passive demeanor when it comes to anything to do with the military or their own nation's defense..."who cares? the GI's will take care of it". I have been to Japan and viewed the bases over there, spent time with the Japanese, and with our servicemen and women. In 1973, I was born in the same hospital over in Heidelberg, Germany, that General Patton died in. My dad served during Vietnam, and one of his tours was on a base called Lampertheim...so I know firsthand about countries who have given over their defense to us. And let's not forget that we put our big foot in a lot of places...Why? because of communism, of course. If people don't think that communism is still a threat, take another look at the former USSR and what they did to Georgia, and of course there is the Korea situation. Terrorism tends to lull us into a sleep about communism. I can remember when we US Americans would not participate in the 1980 Olympics because of where it was held over in Russia. Fast forward to the present, and all of our Olympians take part in the games in China?? Outlooks and attitudes have changed, that's for sure. Wonder what an American patriot like John Birch would have thought about all that? wait  , that's right, the Chinese communists killed him and tried to cover it up. I haven't read that book Doug, but it sounds like a good read. I will have to look for it. No doubt MacArthur made mistakes...he had his good times and his bad times...and he really was known for being someone that did not care anything for politics. This past July 4th, our church took some of the morning service and re-broadcast MacArthur's farewell address to the cadets at West Point in the 60's. As an "army brat" and one that shares some of the sentiment and sacrifice of military families to serve, I appreciated his comments and the spirit he displayed as MacArthur characterized the leadership, valor, and honor of our country's finest.
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