so in September 1950 North Korean Forces had pushed South Korea into a tiny pocket in the far south-east of the peninsula, now by that Time the US and the UN were in the war and soon pushed North Korea as far back as the North had pushed the South, but what if the Soviets hadn't sat out the UN vote, if US aid had gotten tangled up, and Syngman Rhee's government had been forced off the main land, would they or could they set up a government in exile on Jeju?
Jeju, Korea's Taiwan?
- Thread starter black angel
- Start date
birdboy2000
Banned
They could try, but I can't see it going remotely well, considering Jeju was OTL a Workers' Party stronghold which had rebelled before the Korean War started and was answered with mass murder.
Taiwan survived the legacy of the 228 incident, but the Jeju uprising was an order of magnitude worse and I can easily see the US saying "why bother" at the prospect of giving naval protection to an exile regime on an island that had killed a fifth of the people on it - and that was OTL, without all the tensions involved with mainland exiles showing up or a Red Korea just across the strait.
It'd be if anything easier to have a North Korean enclave there than a South Korea in exile.
Taiwan survived the legacy of the 228 incident, but the Jeju uprising was an order of magnitude worse and I can easily see the US saying "why bother" at the prospect of giving naval protection to an exile regime on an island that had killed a fifth of the people on it - and that was OTL, without all the tensions involved with mainland exiles showing up or a Red Korea just across the strait.
It'd be if anything easier to have a North Korean enclave there than a South Korea in exile.
this is 1950s Cold War America, we really didn't have much in the way of moral issues supporting monsters, if we think its strategically important thats a different story, though given the domestic feelings about "losing" China and fear over a now nuclear powered Communist block politically we might "need to" though I guess the bigger issue is stopping a US/UN/Allied counter-attack given the domestic political outlook in America.
birdboy2000
Banned
It's not just that the US is supporting monsters, it's that they'd be supporting monsters who lost the war and have a hard time holding what they have left (it'd take pulling a Taiwan - and also the US has a face-saving way to cut their losses) and giving the communists a major propaganda victory (look at the DPRK! It may be repressive, but the Korean regime on Jeju is outright genocidal and people are fleeing the other way!) and I'm not sure Jeju offers anything to make it worth it in return.
It's not like they lack bases in the area with Japan just across the sea.
It's not like they lack bases in the area with Japan just across the sea.
3 things.
1. I don't think Jeju produced enough water for a large population.
2. Rhee was already planning to mass-move Koreans to nearby Japanese territory.
3. The US had plans to move Koreans to West Samoa. Called "New Korea Plan" or "Plan Eagle".
EDIT: attempting to find english sources for no.3.
1. I don't think Jeju produced enough water for a large population.
2. Rhee was already planning to mass-move Koreans to nearby Japanese territory.
3. The US had plans to move Koreans to West Samoa. Called "New Korea Plan" or "Plan Eagle".
EDIT: attempting to find english sources for no.3.
Even if Rhee somehow cobbled up some soldiers to wipe out Communist influences and set up camp there, Kim's North Korea would have its first intent to destroy this small island.
This is no Taiwan - Jeju is, like, a tenth of its size, isn't it?