x • ’
delegation of prominent Americans. Here was a tale from which Americans
could learn a good deal about their relationship with Korea over a thirty-
year period.
Of particular interest was the fresh, firsthand account of the controver-
sial events of – leading to Chun Doo Hwan’s takeover of the South
Korean government. As the assistant military attaché in the U.S. Embassy,
Young did not always agree with the cautious approach taken by Ambas-
sador Gleysteen in the aftermath of Pres. Park Chung Hee’s assassination
in October, . Young’s narrative represented the first by an insider to
outline alternatives that were widely discussed at the time. Equally impor-
tant, he examined the major personalities involved—their strengths, their
limitations, and their perspectives—in a manner that added new insights
into why the United States behaved as it did. What emerged was an account
that added important new knowledge and perspective to one of the most
tragic episodes in the history of U.S. relations with Korea.
The material covering Korean events of – was far from the only
contribution of the manuscript. There were also fresh accounts of the in-
famous tree-cutting incident of , the controversy over Pres. Jimmy
Carter’s plan in to withdraw U.S. troops from Korea, the successful
move of the Republic of Korea toward democracy in , the Seoul Olym-
pics of , Ambassador Donald Gregg’s efforts to combat anti-American-
ism in South Korea during –, and a initiative by Gen. Richard
Stilwell (U.S. Army, retired) to explore an opening to North Korea. In all these
cases, Young showed a keen appreciation of the importance of personali-
ties, bureaucratic politics, and country expertise (or the absence thereof) in
influencing outcomes.
Despite the manuscript’s obvious merits, it was clearly written for a gen-
eral Korean audience. People and places well known to most Koreans were
often mentioned without explanation; conversely, personalities and insti-
tutions on the U.S. side were sometimes described in a manner that would
seem patronizing to Americans. In addition, the manuscript had been pro-
duced largely from Young’s memory, rather than from personal papers and
other written documents. To enhance credibility before an American audi-
ence composed largely of scholars and other observers with a particular
interest in Korea, the information presented needed to be checked as much
as possible against other available sources. Finally, there were sometimes
gaps in the story that required exploration to ensure that no significant
memory from Young’s rich experience failed to come to light.
Over the past two years, it has been my pleasure to work with the author