On April 16, 1969, anger and panic were in the United States. Demonstrations are in full swing in the streets of Washington, D.C., and some even advocate the use of nuclear ** to eliminate North Korea as a demonstration of American power.
At this time, Nixon and his team were discussing a response at the White House. The moderates advocate negotiation as the main thing, supplemented by force, while the hardliners insist on "directly destroying North Korea," and the two sides are arguing fiercely.
The crisis stemmed from news released by the North Korean side that morning: on April 15, the North Korean Air Force shot down a U.S. AWACS aircraft that illegally intruded into North Korean airspace, killing 31 U.S. troops.
The world was stunned, and everyone stared with bated breath at the United States and North Korea, as if anticipating the future of North Korea. But what happened next took people by surprise. The United States actually "hardenedly" lightly exposed this matter, which surprised everyone.
You know, the United States has always been known for being tough, but this time it suddenly softened, which made people scratch their heads. The tough guy United States has always regarded itself as the "world's policeman" and has set up military bases in Asia and around the world.
Allegedly, this is to maintain security and stability in Asia and the world. However, on the day of April 15, 1969, the United States once again began its regular operations, a move that shocked the world.
At 7 o'clock the sun shone on the Atsugi base in Japan, and a US military EC-121M AWACS aircraft began its daily patrol mission in East Asia. According to the established flight route, it would depart from Japan, pass through Korea and China, and finally fly directly to the Soviet Union.
The route has been in operation since 1967 and has flown hundreds of times, allowing the crew to fly with unerring accuracy even with their eyes closed. The task was easy and easy, and it was very popular with the crew because it was able to enjoy the scenery along the way.
With a happy mood, the 121M AWACS aircraft successfully completed the cruising mission against the USSR and China. Five and a half hours later, it returned to the Sea of Japan, ready to re-enter North Korean airspace.
Within the line of sight of the AWACS aircraft of the American side, two North Korean MiG-21 fighters suddenly appeared without any cover. Although AWACS aircraft and the monitoring department of the Atsugi base have long been detected, the arrogant US military does not see North Korea as a threat.
They flew self-righteously until North Korean fighters attacked mercilessly, inflicting a big loss on the U.S. military. This incident is just like the saying: "How can you walk by the river without getting your shoes wet?" ”
The North Korean military dared to challenge the authority of the United States and dared to fight against it.
The Americans, who had been beaten, were caught between North Korean fighters and had nowhere to escape. In the end, the 121M AWACS aircraft was destroyed, and the aircraft was destroyed and killed. However, the US military was not aware of this incident in time at that time, thinking that the AWACS aircraft had only lowered its flight altitude.
This caused a national shock and the world's attention. According to the US assumption, the AWACS aircraft may not want to clash with the North Korean fighters, so it chose to fly at a low altitude.
But radar can only detect aircraft flying at high altitudes, not aircraft flying at low altitudes.
It is inconceivable for Americans that North Korea would dare to attack without declaring war. The functions of the EC-121M AWACS aircraft are among the top in the world, and even if an accident occurs, it will only be the other party that will be damaged.
However, ten minutes passed, and the signal of the 121m AWACS aircraft was still not displayed on the radar screen. The base began to send unsolicited messages asking about the situation, but did not receive any response.
The entire base fell into an eerie silence, and a conjecture welled up in everyone's minds: Could it be that the 121M AWACS aircraft really suffered an accident? The commander of the base felt that this matter was not trivial, and immediately reported it to the US military at his higher level.
Considering that there may be hidden circumstances, the US military high-level reported the matter to the Department of National Defense. After discussions within the Ministry of Defense, they quickly sent two fighter jets to North Korean airspace to conduct a search.
In order to understand the accident, the US Navy sent two destroyers, and the US Air Force also sent more than 20 additional aircraft, and the entire Korean Peninsula was completely surrounded by them from top to bottom.
However, even with such a large-scale search operation, the US military still found nothing. Nearly 12 hours have passed, and no useful clues have been found.
The massive operation stunned even South Korea, but North Korea remained calm and did not slowly make the announcement until the next morning. Unsurprisingly, North Korea's "act of bravery" shocked the world.
Speaking of bravery, it is still you North Koreans who are brave, and without even saying hello, they directly shot down the American plane. When the White House learned the news, everyone was stunned.
As a world hegemon, it is a great shame to be so humiliated by a country that does not enter the stream! Despite its reluctance, the White House began a heated discussion about how to retaliate.
In a short period of time, this news has attracted widespread attention on the streets and alleys of the United States, and people generally believe that the dignity of the United States has been trampled on and its international status has been challenged, so they have called for ** to take measures to sanction North Korea.
U.S. allies, such as Britain, Canada, Japan, and South Korea, have publicly condemned North Korea and incited U.S. military action to establish"Joint**"Attack North Korea.
Of these countries, South Korea has been the most active, mocking North Korea for its incompetence and agitating the United States. This attitude makes people wonder, is it not the American fighter that was shot down, but the South Korean fighter?
From the moment it decided to shoot down the US fighter plane, the DPRK was ready to go all out. China and the Soviet Union are also closely monitoring developments, and although neither wants to see war, the United States is also known to have a way of acting that could lead to a second Korean War or even a third world war if it gets out of hand.
Countries have different mentalities, some want war, some want peace. However, it was the United States that bowed its head in the end, and the White House held a press conference to deny the illegal invasion of the US military and demanded a public apology from North Korea and assurances that similar incidents would not happen again.
The North Korean authorities immediately responded, insisting that the United States had violated the law first, that they were only defending themselves, that they dared to fight back, that they were not afraid of retaliation, and refused to apologize.
Either hit it straight or shut up, I won't apologize anyway.
The United States has always thought highly of itself, but it did not expect to be defeated by North Korea this time. In the face of this "nemesis," all kinds of means of the United States will not be of use. In desperation, the White House can only make a new request to let North Korea manage its own military and not provoke such a thing again.
If there is a next time, the United States will not compromise easily. Such an ending is surprising, but if you look back, the performance of the United States this time is not worth the fuss.
Because this is already the second time that North Korea has openly confronted the United States. Looking back, the United States has lost face. The last time North Korea and the United States had a head-to-head confrontation was a year ago.
In early 1968, a large cargo ship named the Pueblo set sail at the port of Sasebo in Japan, crossed the Sea of Japan and came to the outskirts of the port of Cheongjin in North Korea. However, the ship did not penetrate deep into the territorial waters of the DPRK, but loitered on the borders of the high seas.
A piece of history revealed: it turned out,"The Pueblo"It is a camouflaged cargo ship called the Spy Ship. At the behest of the United States, it sailed to the Korean Peninsula and shouldered the task of eavesdropping on and stealing North Korean intelligence.
Outwardly, the ship was no different from an ordinary cargo ship; But inside the cabin, there is the world's most advanced electronic monitoring system and conventional equipment. Such a way of camouflage in the last century.
It was very common in the sixties and seventies and was invented by the United States and the Soviet Union.
In that hostile international environment, knowing oneself and knowing one's opponent is the only way to win all battles. So, it's crucial to understand the dynamics of the enemy. Here it is"The Pueblo"The story, a secret hidden in the depths of history.
Even if you have big ambitions, you should not openly go to the other person's house to cause trouble. Hence this relatively subtle strategy. As long as there are suspicious ships in the vicinity of territorial waters, everyone has a number in their hearts.
In such cases, both sides will exercise restraint. As long as the ship does not enter the territorial waters or make a conspicuous move, a conflict usually does not break out. North Korea, however, is not impressed by such tacit rules.
A few days later,"The Pueblo"North Korea's movements continue to be monitored according to old rules. But as recently as January 23, Captain Booker received a greeting from North Korea on the radio. "
Ahead ships, which country are you from? "Booker looked up and saw a hunting submarine approaching quickly, and the North Korean military was coming.
The ship was immediately stopped and inspected, and North Korea issued another warning. Faced with this, Booker and his crew decided to identify themselves in order to avoid trouble. They raised the American flag in hopes of reassuring North Korea's suspicions.
However, North Korea did not let them go easily. After their identities were confirmed, the submarine hunter quickly approached, and four torpedo boats also appeared around. Booker's heart tensed, and he realized that his wishful thinking might have been wrong. "
The U.S. troops on board immediately raised their vigilance when they found themselves surrounded. They knew that once the battle broke out, the mission of the spy ship would be in vain. Captain Booker tried to de-escalate the situation by explaining their mission, but apparently this did not work.
The North Korean army was ready, and with a roar, two MiG fighters appeared directly above the ship. This is a signal that the two major naval and air forces are attacking at the same time, which means that the DPRK army has decided to move in earnest.
However, the "Pueblo" did not give up, they opted for a frontal breakthrough. They are also taking a risky gamble on whether the North Korean army will be brave enough.
However, this time they lost the bet. Not only did the North Korean army have the guts, but they acted immediately. When they saw that the other side ignored the warning and tried to escape, the North Korean torpedo ships immediately **.
After a few rounds of artillery fire, the "Pueblo" was so frightened that it did not dare to move, and one American soldier was killed on the spot.
For the first time, Booker, a veteran of espionage for many years, encountered a opponent as determined as North Korea. In desperation, he appealed to the US military base for help, but was immediately arrested by the North Koreans.
After difficult negotiations, he decided to give up, at the cost of the heroic deeds of the Pueblo. The incident immediately spread back to the United States, when Johnson was still in power.
In the face of this crisis, Johnson demanded the release of the crew and the return of the ships to North Korea, and on the other hand, sent a large number of fighter jets and bombers to the US military base in South Korea.
The situation was more tense and serious than the crash that followed, as a large number of American troops had already arrived at North Korea's doorstep. Even China at that time was ready to respond.
However, things turned around again, and Johnson** expressed his desire for peace negotiations through a White House spokesman.
Johnson was under tremendous pressure to decide whether or not to go to war with North Korea. He himself and the whole country were ready to fight, however, the unexpected development of North Korea forced him to reconsider.
At this time, the 37th Republican Party and the Democratic Party in the United States were fiercely contesting, and Nixon took the opportunity to launch a merciless attack on Johnson. Johnson's decision has also caused discontent and ridicule from the Republican Party, which sees it as a reflection of America's disgrace and incompetence.
However, this is not Johnson's fault. If he had chosen to go to war, he would have become a "sinner" in American history. Because, he has four reasons for "not being able to fight".
First, the United States is mired in the Vietnam War. Since 1961, the United States has begun to deploy for this war, which was originally expected to end in two or three years at most.
However, the development of events far exceeded expectations, and the investment of more than $400 billion ended in failure. Second, the war and the U.S. policy of "reckless militarism" led to a major collapse of the domestic economy.
The situation became even worse after Nixon took office, with inflation, fiscal deficits, and unemployment rising. Third, there is a powerful China behind North Korea.
If war really breaks out and threatens China's northeast region, the Chinese people will never agree. Americans should remember the lessons of the Korean battlefield in those years, not to mention the tense relations between China and the Soviet Union at that time, and the United States was trying to win over China, and it was impossible to clash with China at this critical moment.
During the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union had the expectation of a heavy blow to the United States' comprehensive national strength, so it fanned the flames on the Korean battlefield, causing the United States to fall into a situation of internal and external troubles.
Johnson** knew the consequences of restarting the war, so he chose to swallow his anger. In the end, after 11 months of difficult negotiations, North Korea returned more than 80 U.S. troops, but the Pueblo ships and equipment were left in North Korea as "trophies."
The United States not only failed to get an apology from the DPRK, but also boarded a ship, which can be described as "losing its wife and losing its soldiers."
The cycle of history is like feng shui in turn. Nixon, who was cynical about Johnson back then, is now facing the same problem. Faced with a mountain of problems, Nixon had no choice but to back down.
However, the United States has never stopped violating the airspace of other countries in an attempt to steal intelligence. China a few decades ago was also regularly threatened with such a problem.
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the situation of global polarization immediately turned into a "one-man show" for the United States. At that time, China did not have enough strength to compete with the United States.
In 2001, the United States again sent a new type of early warning aircraft to invade the airspace southeast of China's Hainan Island. In the face of frequent provocations by the US military, the sons and daughters of China will never back down even half a step.
In the high altitude, pilot Wang Wei piloted a J-8 fighter and a US early warning plane for a face-to-face battle.
After several drives, the United States took the lead in attacking. Faced with this situation, Wang Wei did not flinch and resolutely launched a counterattack. The final result was that two fighters crashed at the same time, and Wang Wei died heroically in order to defend the safety of the country's airspace.
This incident made the United States feel the tenacity and courage of the Chinese. China will not take the initiative to provoke a war, but it will not be threatened either. China will never compromise with those hegemonists and banditry that attempt to undermine national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
However, words alone are not enough. In order to truly fight back against hegemonism, we must constantly improve ourselves, and we need to use strength to fight for the right to speak and a sense of existence.