General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Biggest Threat to World Peace: The United States [View all]davidpdx
(22,000 posts)Park Chung-hee had nothing to do with the war, he was a despot leader and got what he deserved in the end (right to the head too). My wife was born when he was president. It's also notable that his daughter is now the president of Korea (I certainly wasn't happy about that).
Rhee was the few people that could be put forward as the leader of South Korea. He wasn't a good leader (again, a vacuum in leadership since Japan controlled Korea for over three decades). The problem was whether communists were infiltrating the South and trying to sabotage the government. There was no DMZ at that point in the way we know it today which is heavily fortified. It was later that the boarders were fortified and even then the North Koreans were digging tunnels into South Korea (I've actually been in one of them).
I don't agree with what either of the two of them did (especially Park).
Again if you look at history it was the North Koreans that invaded South Korea. No one forced them to do that comrade. The US had a pact with South Korea and stood by them. Had they not 50 million people would be living under a despot dictator who is barely old enough to shave. Go study about what REALLY goes on in North Korea, not just what you hear and then get back to me. I'd bet I have a much better grasp on reality then you do.