{"id":843,"date":"2020-09-15T18:47:41","date_gmt":"2020-09-15T17:47:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toonsarah-travels.blog\/staging\/?p=843"},"modified":"2021-03-18T11:43:14","modified_gmt":"2021-03-18T11:43:14","slug":"so-who-did-start-the-korean-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toonsarah-travels.blog\/staging\/so-who-did-start-the-korean-war\/","title":{"rendered":"So who did start the Korean War?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

History, they say, is told by the victors. But what if there are no victors? What if the war never technically ended? Then, perhaps, each side feels free to tell its own version of history, a version in which they were triumphant. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Carving<\/figure><\/div>
\"Carving<\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

At the entrance to the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum in Pyongyang presents a fascinating insight into the North Korean psyche as shaped by their history \u2013 or perhaps more accurately by their interpretation of that history. The ideology of the DPRK requires that the people believe in the invincibility of the Leaders and the nation. Therefore, of course, the North won the Korean War, or as it is known here, the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War. For the duration of your visit you too must accept this as fact, at least outwardly. Doing so will not only please your hosts but also help you to put yourself in the shoes of a North Korean visitor to the museum and see things through their eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Large
The Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum with the Monument to the Victorious Fatherland Liberation in front<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A brief history of the war<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Everywhere apart from in the DPRK, it is generally understood that the war started when North Korea invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950, following a series of clashes along the border. Neither of the two countries had readily accepted, understandably, the division of Korea by the US and Soviet Union after World War Two. Both governments felt themselves to be the legitimate leaders of what should be a united Korea. Furthermore, the North Koreans resented (and felt threatened by) the on-going presence of US troops on South Korean soil, which they viewed as an occupation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To start with the North had some considerable successes, pushing south and capturing Seoul. Then the tide turned; UN forces (mainly consisting of US troops) forced the North Koreans to retreat. In October 1950 the southern armies entered the DPRK and moved quickly towards the border with China. Alerted by this the Chinese entered the war and pushed the southern forces back below the 38th<\/sup> parallel. At this point things on the ground largely stagnated, with only small movements in either direction over the next two years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the air things were very different and North Korea was subject to a massive U.S. bombing campaign. This continued until the armistice was signed two years later. It had a lasting impact on the country both in terms of how it looks today (almost all its major cities were destroyed) and how, collectively, it feels \u2013 especially about the US.<\/p>\n\n\n