Crisis in Korea : America, China and the risk of war / Tim Beal.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Beal, Tim.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Ch'ŏnanham (Ship).

Korea (North)--Foreign relations--Korea (South).

Korea (North).

International relations.

Korea (South).

Korea (South)--Foreign relations--Korea (North).

United States--Foreign relations.

United States.

China--Foreign relations.

China.

United States--Foreign relations--China.

China--Foreign relations--United States.

United States--Foreign relations--Korea.

Korea.

Korea--Foreign relations--United States.

China--Foreign relations--Korea.

Korea--Foreign relations--China.

Physical Description:

xii, 268 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

London : Pluto Press, [2011]

Summary:

The South Korean warship Cheonan sank in mysterious circumstances on 26 March 2010. Tim Beal explores the remarkable events that followed, examining the increasingly volatile relations between North and South Korea, and US concerns about the rise of China.

The media reports at the time presented an open and shut case of unprovoked North Korean aggression, but the evidence points towards a more complex chain of events. Beal shows how a Russian investigation into the sinking of the Cheonan, leaked to the South Korean press, flatly contradicts the official story. He explores the wider implications of international reactions to the incident, including those of key players China and the US.

Beal shows how South Korea's stance towards the North has hardened since South Korea's new conservative government came to power. With the South bent on forcing the fall of the North's regime with US help, and China unlikely to stand idly by, this book offers an essential guide to the key factors behind the crisis and possible solutions. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part I: Korea and the postwar geopolitical transformation. Imperialism, nationalism, the division and reunification of Korea

Korea and the postcolonial world

The collapse of the Soviet Union and North Korea's 'arduous march'

The rise of China and the decline of America

Obama's strategic paralysis

Part II: Buildup to crisis : the Cheonan incident and its consequences. The mysterious sinking of the Cheonan, and the official investigation

From 'smoking gun' to rusty torpedo

Part III: Collapse and takeover. Scenario building : failed succession and collapse

The Northern Limit Line : keeping the war alive

Military exercises : precipitating collapse, preparing for invasion

The siege : sanctions, their role and effect

The costs and consequences of invasion

The China factor : into the abyss?

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 234-258) and index.

ISBN:

9780745331614

0745331610

9780745331621

0745331629

OCLC:

721883905

Online:

http://www.timbeal.net.nz/Crisis_in_Korea/