Word: koreas
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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Showing the flag is an ancient ploy that has worn a bit thin. Richard Nixon's decision to show American military might last week was an appropriate reaction in the face of severe North Korean provocation. But he may have overdone it somewhat. In response to North Korea's destruction of a U.S. EC-121 spy plane over international waters, the President gave sailing orders to Task Force 71, a 40-ship armada assigned the task of protecting future reconnaissance flights near North Korea...
Risks Remain. Pentagon officials argued that defense of the lumbering spy planes requires many jet fighters. Ostensibly, the size and power of TF-71 were intended to discourage North Korea from further adventurism. But there was also a domestic political consideration. During the presidential campaign, Nixon had maintained that the U.S. should react to small provocations lest they grow into large incidents. There were plenty of hawks around last week to remind him of that remark...
...challenge? If the North Korean dictator chose the latter view, further conflict could easily develop. In fact, the North Koreans reacted sharply to the force's presence. Kim announced an increase of 11% in his military budget as a result of the new U.S. "threat," thereby raising North Korea's annual defense spending to $561 million...
Guerrilla Threat. South Koreans are just as aware of that unhappy fact. North Korea's armed forces of 345,000 men are well trained and well armed. Constant attempts to infiltrate are made through the DMZ and along the coastline, both to terrorize the populace and to try to set off a guerrilla war in the south. In reply, South Korea maintains an armed force of 600,000, the world's fifth largest. Despite Seoul's complaints that its U.S.-supplied weapons are becoming increasingly outmoded, there is no doubt about the army's fighting spirit...
Despite military pressures, South Korea is booming. The gross national product spurted ahead by 13.1% last year. Exports totaled $455 million, compared with $33 million in 1960, and the 1971 target is $1 billion...