Rethinking the Korean War

摘要

North korean strong-man Kim IL Sung arrived in Beijing on May 13,1950, on a top-secret mission he hoped would lead to war. He had just come from Moscow, where Joseph Stalin supported his plan to "liberate" South Korea in a lightning invasion. Stalin had set one condition: "Comrade Mao Zedong must give the decision final approval." Mao was upset that his two communist neighbors had been plotting Korea's unification behind his back. But during the four-day negotiation, he gave Kim the go-ahead, adding a promise with fateful implications for all of East Asia. "If the American army participates, China will send armies to support North Korea," Mao promised. "If they cross the 38th parallel, we definitely will come in fighting."