Word: syngman
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...country "as soon as possible." But for businessmen with investments to protect, that was no way out. In any case, it was doubtful that the offer meant peace on the Korean scene; the embattled businessmen were not bucking merely the whim of Korea's stubborn, proud old President Syngman Rhee. They were bucking a tide of nationalism that has swept through Asia. In much of the non-Communist East, many governments are putting pressure on employees of U.S. and other foreign companies to pack up and go back home...
...silliest thing I ever heard," taunted Syngman Rhee, "American soldiers threatening to shoot their allies to protect Communists." Rhee assured Lemnitzer that his government had no intention of using force, but to make sure, the American gave orders to reinforce the U.S. guard at all five of the inspection points where the NNSC officers are billeted. It was a wise precaution, for within hours the rioting began...
...Last-Minute Backdown. For a week the rock-throwing, torch-waving and teargassing went on, but the U.S. Army stood firm and did not lose its head. Finally, Syngman Rhee backed down and proclaimed that his government was opposed to the "civilian violence." Rhee demanded that the U.S. give a guarantee that the NNSC would soon be "peacefully evicted." An officer at the Wolmi barricade summed up the Army's reaction: "Even if I could hand over the Czechs and Poles to these people, I wouldn't do it. It's a matter of principle. We told...
...week's end 22 Americans and perhaps 80 Koreans had been more or less seriously injured to maintain the principle. Stubborn old Syngman Rhee was beaten, and knew it. Two hours before it expired, Rhee lifted the midnight deadline for NNSC officers to get out of Korea...
...though Syngman Rhee's bluff had been called, he had not been silenced. "Our very good friend, President Eisenhower," he said, "believes that he has found another kind of peace-peace of mutual forbearance, in which each nation pursues its own aims in every way short of armed conflict." Such a peace, prophesied Rhee, will lead to disaster because 1) "it gives the Communists the chance ... to fix their grip permanently on conquered areas," and 2) "the Communists themselves will not abide...