Korea's division

[Michael Hoover]

> To set the historical record straight, the dividing line in Korea at the
> 38th parallel was drawn one night in August 1945 by Dean Rusk, later Sec. of
> State under JFK, at that time a low level official in the War Dept. Totally
> arbitrary of course, but decided in consent with the Soviet Union, which 
> stopped at that line and never crossed when they occupied the northern 
> part of Korea several weeks before the US army entered the southern part. 
> Tim Shorrock

Re. above:  US & USSR had agreed (at Yalta in 2/45) to post-war 
'international trusteeship' for Korea but no decision had been made 
as to government/governing.  US improvised formula - division at 
38th parallel - following landing of Soviet troops in north Korea.

US had been working towards Japanese surrender that excluded Soviet
role.  At Potsdam (7/45), Truman, Atlee & Chiang Kai-shek issued
public statement calling for Japan's unconditional surrender.  Done
without consulting Soviets *and* with Truman's full knowledge of 
successful atomic bomb testing, US wanted to undermine negotiations 
for surrender underway between Soviets and Japan.  US possession of
operation A-bomb meant that it no longer wanted/needed USSR to enter 
Asian war or participate in Japan's surrender.

Truman decided to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima (8/6/45) & Nagasaki 
(8/9/45) despite fact that he had received communiques from both
Japanese and Soviets about imminent surrender.  By doing so, US
wished to limit Soviet role in Japanese surrender *and* serve notice
to Soviets who already had forces in north of Korea.

Korean people learned of Japan's 8/14/45 surrender a day later on
8/15/45, same day that Truman announced partition plan.  How quickly 
their joy and relief must have turned into disappointment and anger.
Michael Hoover