North Korea in the Korean War Soviets. Neither dictator was content to remain on his side of the 38th parallel, however, and border skirmishes were common. Even so, the North Korean invasion came as an alarming surprise to American officials. As far as they were concerned, this was not simply a border dispute between two unstable dictatorships on the other side of the globe. Instead, many feared it was the first step in a communist campaign to take over the world. For this reason, nonintervention was not considered an option by many top decision makers. As the North Korean army pushed into Seoul, the South Korean
December Massacres of 1950 in the Korean War December Massacres of 1950 in the Korean War The December Massacres were a series of politically motivated executions carried out by the South Korean government following the recapture of Pyongyang by communist forces in the Korean War. The killings took place mainly in and around Seoul but also in other locations in South Korea. It is believed the South Korean government executed thousands of people though accurate estimates are difficult to come by. The Rhee regime received criticism from the international community and the executions damaged his image. In October 1950, United Nations and Republic of Korea (ROK) forces had