Salvationist Pays Tribute To U.S. Troops Fighting In Korea

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23314, 25 July 1950, Page 6

Salvationist Pays Tribute To U.S. Troops Fighting In Korea

‘‘The efforts of those young American soldiers in Korea have been magnificent. How those lads, carrying packs and wearing uniforms, have tramped over the hills in this season is amazing." This tribute was paid by a Salvation Army officer, Lieut.-Colonel W. IT. Smith, in a lecture on Korea in Wellington. Lieut.-Colonel Smith has held a number of appointments in Korea. He was describing the rigours of the present rainy season. “Why,” he asked, “are the Koreans fighting each other? I do not know. If is almost as difficult for me to understand why North Korea is fighting South as it would be for you if the North Island were fighting the South. “North Korea has received a very, very strong injection of communism, which has incited it. “Fundamentally, there is no difference between the North and South Koreans. Both need each other. This unnatural division has been a great trial to these people, who are fundamentally one.

“The ’ North Koreans had not the slightest idea they would be stopped in their attack. They expected to overrun Korea in lfi 1o 14 days: that they would conquer the country just before the rainy season started. Then any counter would be affected by the trying conditions."