Essay Example on Unveiling North Korea: Bruce Cumming's Another Country

Bruce Cumming's book "North Korea: Another Country" introduces North Korea in a different perspective, which contradicts the narrative among many Americans. By exploring the country's daily life, war history, and its broken relationship with the United States, the author reveals the other of North Korea, which is not known by many. The typical narrative portrays the nation as a police state led by an insane dictator. Notably, the Bush administration was quick to brand it the "Axis of Evil" and perpetuated stories and propaganda, which are responsible for its bad reputation. Additionally, the Central intelligence Agency (CIA) claims that the nation possesses biological and chemical weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons. Americans believe that the totalitarian leaders are capable of deploying the weapons of the American West Coast causing devastations. The accusation promotes the loath that Americans have towards North Korea. Nevertheless, the historian acknowledges that the country is often misunderstood. The provocative book reveals the North Korea-US conflict as more complex than what is usually demonstrated by media houses and the American leaders. The author uses his vast knowledge on Korea and government reports to expound further on the Korean war and disapprove the Bush narrative towards the country. By extensively expounding on North Korea's history and leadership dynamics, Bruce Cummings produces a counter-narrative to the press and official US reports concerning the country. He portrays it as a misunderstood nation that suffers from natural disasters, foreign invasions, internal contradictions, and harsh international policy, yet it somehow manages to survive.

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The author portrayed North Korea as a misunderstood country contrary to the "Axis of Evil" narrative perpetuated by the American press and the government. Bruce cummings was radical opponent of President George Bush's administration, especially concerning foreign policy. He refuted the idea that the nation is led by tyrants and megalomaniacs like Kim Jong Sung. Instead, he claimed that its leaders were nationalistic and pragmatic. For example, during the Cold War era, the leaders avoided any dependence on the Soviet Union, which would have left its leaders exposed to manipulation. Additionally, they enhanced living standards and made a productive economy. From Cumming's point of view, the society created was impressive, with clean streets, low crime rates, and humble people. For example, he likens Kim Jong Il to the classic Robin Hood, who cared for his people. Contrary, the United States, described him as "a 51-year-old son about whom little is known other than his fondness for fast cars and state terrorism" (Cummings 11). The US press neither spared his father Kim Sung Il whom they termed as insane and a dictator. However, through Cummings revelation of North Korea's leaders, it is evident that they acted I the best interest of their nation amidst numerous challenges.

Secondly, Cummings felt apologetic for the nation during the Korean War. The war turned out to be a US aggression war towards the country, which led to a massacre of the Korean people. The author believed that the US should have stayed away since they had no right to interfere with the civil war. The Korean war was meant for the Koreans in pursuit of their goals as it was in the case of the American Civil War. The Korean War was a between the North Korea and South Korea in 1950. After the end of the Cold War, Korea was divided by the 38th parallel into two states, the north and the south. United States military occupied the South and helped create an anti-communist government led by Syngman Rhee. Additionally, a socialist state was established in the North by the help of the Soviet Union and China. Following tensions between the two concerning who controlled the country, North Korea's Korean People Army (KPA) invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950. In the retaliation, the United Nations aided the south to launch a counter attack towards the North. The United States provided the United Nation's Command with about 90% of the military personnel in the war. However, in October 1950, the UN's troops overpowered the North, forcing them north. Consequently, the troops invaded North Korea leading to one of the longest and unending conflicts in modern societies.

Thirdly, the author confronts the US's ill intention to invade North Korea and its push for creation of an imaginary boundary. Cummings writes that the Americans would not encouraged the idea of having an imaginary boundary separating the North and South during the American Civil War. The formation of the 38th parallel crippled any hopes for ever attaining treaty or settlement between the two sides. Suffice to say, Korea had just defeated Japanese colonialism; therefore, they would have resolved its conflict eventually with minimal polarization. Notably, the US holds its narrative of invasions as a response to North Korea's breach of peace. The dubious justification has allowed the US, since 1950, to terrorize and use any kind of weapon. The Korean will remain the longest conflict with thousands of American troops remaining in the region to prevent a possible war outbreak

The author criticized the US's for hypocrisy in the Korean War. The US was quick to blame the north for the thousands of its people killed, including women and children during the war. However, its troops witnessed South Korea's ROK butcher prisoners of war without trial, especially women and children (Cummings 32). For example, Cummings documents a journalist who "saw destruction and horrible things committed by American forces": "Everything which moved in North Korea was a military target." The US army pilots seemed to enjoy shooting down any moving objects, including peasants using machineguns. The US was also responsible for destruction of the Yalu River and major cities such as the capital Pyongyang in such a way that the country was left without any cities (Cummings 30). The author also claims that despite North Korea engaging in mass murders, "the South was much worse, and the United States covered up the crimes of its ally for fifty years" (Cummings 70).

Cummings vividly explains the existing nuclear conflict between the US and North Korea. The conflict is characterised by what seems lie cat-mouse diplomacy games between Pyongyang and the United States. America, with the help of its biased media believe that crazy people like Kim Jong Il should not be allowed to own any nuclear weapon or rather weapons of mass destruction. Washington is often placed in a position of innocence concerning the nuclear crisis as North Korea is portrayed as wanting to obtain and use WMD (Cummings 15). On the contrary, the US has a high record in the use of nuclear weapons and threats since world war 2. Notably, it is the only country with a history of using nuclear weapons for mass destruction in the Nagasaki and Hiroshima, yet the country continues to terrorize others.

Conclusion

Overall, cummings deviates from the hypocritical and misleading history and perception of North Korea, which was created by the US and the Allied forces. He portrays the country as misunderstood nation, whose leaders despite not being angels are patriotic to contributing to the country's growth. After defeating the Japanese colonialists, Koreans had mixed feelings concerning whom they wanted to lead the country. The divisions led to formation of two governments, the north associated with communists and the south to capitalists. Additionally, creation of the 38Prallel boundary separated a country that would have been allowed to solve its internal conflicts alone.

Moreover, the US and its biased media have criticized North Korea for being orchestrating crimes against humanity, such as mass murders and slaughtering of war prisoners. What they do not reveal is that they are also responsible for devastation of most Korean cities ad killing of innocent persons. On the on hand, the US condemns North Korea as the Axis of Evil for its desire to have nuclear weapons, while only Americans have a history of using WMDs in war. Remarkably, historians such as Cummings are responsible for shedding light on issues that are filled by propaganda caused by the US's superiority complex. Noticeably, concerning human rights issues, the easiest option for Americans is to criticize and condemn others, especially communist, while ignoring its reprehensible behaviour and that of its allies. Americans should learn to appreciate diversity and respect the sovereignty of other nations. They do not need to push their ideology on other people and expect them to dance to their tune, while they have their choices. All nations should learn to coexist without demonizing each other. The media should also be neutral t report and document history without bias or propaganda om order to make some leaders look evil before their citizens.

Work Cited

Cummings, Bruce. North Korea: Another Country, New York. The New Press, 2004.