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russian trucks abandoned in it retreat to the north. still hauling the freight. even though the home office seems reluctant to send replacement parts. if the amman who invented the it use hisld see to tour has been put to commerce in north korea he might conclude that his place in history is assured alongside the man who invented the wheel. here, the bicycle is not only a means of transportation but also an important vehicle for business. its use allows for personal earnings to go to more required necessities.

even the bicycles would survive the impossible and have to contend with the ever present korean taxicab. korean taxicab drivers may not build up the speed of their american counterparts, but they duplicate the bearing in most of the great cities. here, too, the drivers seem to be able to put their vehicles in places no vehicle was meant to go. well, almost. the newest transportation miracle, though, is the international airport tollroad, the first tollroad in the nation. it is only one example of road construction schedule by the

government. the new road will make it easier and faster to get from seoul to the international airport, the home of the fledgling korean air lines. the modest fleet of aircraft has many different airliners. the new road does little, however, to touch the life of the average korean in the field. the thatched-roof, mud-brick house he lives in is much the same as that of his father and his father before him. his slightly more affluent

cousin may have one with a tile roof. for most koreans, it is still shoes outside, which leaves the floor clean enough to sit on. and in the winter, the floor is heated by flues, another korean invention going back 1500 years, but this is not surprising in a land where the very old blends with the very new. perhaps the most striking change to come over the face of korea has been the influence of western architecture. in many places, the graceful, traditional curve of the oriental roofline has given way to the clean, efficient, straight-line look of the west, which permits more rapid and more economical construction.

major rebuilding began almost immediately after the armistice, when $15 million worth of excess u.s. armed forces equipment was put to work reconstructing war-shattered buildings. and replanting the land in the first 10 years alone, the armed forces invested $23 million in more than 5000 projects. even though this is less than one dollar per korean, it has helped in the korean reconstruction program, and the koreans are, indeed, grateful. industrial development, too, has received massive american aid. since most korean industry was located in the communist north, the division of the country was an especially hard below to south korea. development of new industrial capabilities has been made possible by american financial

and technical assistance. like anyone else, the koreans enjoy tv, refrigerators, and, of course, new cars. korea's first oil refinery, funded by american private capital, processes 55,000 barrels a day. the fertilizer plant produces 330,000 tons of chemical fertilizer a year. development of this vital

industry can mean the difference between famine or food enough to feed the nation. the problem of food production is the main concern at the government's experimental farm, south of seoul. here, agriculture research of all sorts is carried out. and extension workers are trained in the latest farming techniques, which, it is hoped, will make the country self-sufficient in food production by the early 1970's. entering the worldwide competition to attract tourists, the government has constructed the impressive complex of 26 buildings, including five hotels and 12 villas, that make up the walker hill resort. named for general walton walker of korean war fame, it is just

12 miles from seoul, overlooking the han river. it spreads over 150 acres and provides a complete variety of entertainment and sports facilities. since walker hill is not subject to the curfew which puts the rest of the country to bed at midnight, it is a good place for night people. the bright golden moon restaurant features kimchi, a spicy korean dish, and gourmet delights to be consumed to the gentle strains of oriental string music.

still another popular spot features western cuisine and a whole line of korean rockettes. unfortunately, the standards of sanitation that apply at walker still and at the luxury hotels do not extend throughout korean society. unfortunate, at least, for the american whose system is accustomed to more antiseptic conditions. it is suggested that on the local economy, the tourist exercise a certain amount of caution, stick to well cooked foods, avoid unpeeled fresh fruits and vegetables, tapwater, and drinks served with ice. drink only bottled beer, hot tea, or coffee. an american can travel the length and breadth of the republic of korea and be fed,

providing he master the art of using chopsticks. there are many other sections of the country especially attractive to tourists, such as an island about 60 miles to the west of the mainland. it is part of the most picturesque of korea. in many of the remote communities, old customs and colorful holiday rituals are to be seen. without the security provided by a strong army, however, korea would not be safe for anyone. tourists or native alike. with the assistance of united states military advisers, the republic of korea army has been built into one of the most efficient, highly trained forces in the world, with 600,000 men.

it is also the third-largest in the non-communist world. although armed with the latest equipment available, the ancient and traditional korean battle schools are not forgotten. these soldiers are practicing taekwondo. it is the korean version of karate and is just as deadly. it has been used in battle before and many believe it creates self-assured and tough troops. perhaps the most impressive sign of a nation coming of age was reached on september 25, 1965, when, for the first time in history of the nation, they involuntarily sent soldiers abroad to fight in a foreign war, the war in vietnam. the tiger and white horse divisions have by bravely and earned the respect of free men everywhere. [gunshots and explosions]

about 10,000 soldiers serve in a special capacity with the u.s. army. they are korean augmentation to u.s. army soldiers. they work, live, and train alongside u.s. soldiers. their history dates back to the dark, early days of the korean war, when to strengthen the undermanned troops, forces were channeled into the u.s. units. perhaps one reason they fought communism with distinction abroad is because many of them have had bitter personal experience with communist aggression at home.

aggression like this along their own dmz. this truck was not blown up in vietnam. it was ambushed on april 1968 by north korean communists in a flagrant, daylight raid across the korean dmz. the free soldiers of the second u.s. infantry division and the korean group were killed in this truce violation, had been on their way to lunch. some time later on in august, as the men of the 76th battalion lined up for supper, their mess tent was suddenly hit by heavy machine-gun fire from communist raiders. two u.s. soldiers, one korean,

killed. 26 other people wounded, including two korean laundry women. this is where a barracks building stood, located at a camp. it was demolished by a planted timebomb. two soldiers were killed in their sleep. these are only a few variations on the communist theme. 30 miles north of seoul, the joint military armistice commission meets to discuss violations. the north korean side invariably flaunts the line, blandly ignoring all charges, and pulling up a smokescreen of fabrication and countercharges.

all have been ignored or denied. not only does it provide a spectacle of communist fantasy, but in the united nations honor guard, and impressive reminder that the free world is indeed a reality and very much committed to staying that way. united nations' soldiers remain constantly on the alert to meet the continuing border incidents, subversion, and infiltration of enemy agents along the dmz. scattered along the line, a system of guard posts are manned around the clock. a barrier fence is being

constructed along the entire 150 mile length of the dmz, from coast-to-coast. watchtowers spotted every few hundred feet provide additional vantage points for observation. the lush, green foliage along the dmz is one of the most beautiful features in this no man's land. it is also one of the most deadly. its natural screen provides a perfect cover for north korean hit and run operations. to frustrate the pattern of ambush and attack, a narrow strip of land will be cleared south of the line. the agent who tries to make across this high visibility zone may find the odds have been sharply reversed. the fences and watchtowers and guard posts alone mean nothing if the troops who manned them, and the one who get out and do

the patrolling, who prevent the dmz and more from being overrun. someone once defined combat patrol as hours of boredom interrupted by moments of sheer terror. in a sense, dmz duty is a bit like that. the communists conduct a daily war of nerves, subversion, of the kind of treachery that can turn routine patrol into a death march. although many communist agents are introduced across the dmz, the korean government feels that even more come ashore by boat,

along the 5000 mile coastline. some of these potential guerrillas hide out in the mountainous southern part of the country. for that reason, combat-ready soldiers of the korean army's infantry division continued to patrol in suspect areas, to flush out these communist infiltrators. whatever stability korea has, indeed, the world has, is guaranteed by these men of the united nations command, who make it perfectly clear where the line has been drawn and who literally put their lives on that line every day.

and what is it the troops are guarding? well, among other things, the right to develop and maintain a democratic government which is stable without being oppressive. under their president, reform and development have been considerable, and korea stands today as a proud example of self-determination to maintain freedom, as a nation which truly has a choice between tyranny and liberty. --------- interested in american history

tv? visit c-span.org/history. you can view our tv schedule and watch college lectures, using them tours archival films and war. american history tv. c-span flirt history of the daily unit in 1979 c-span was created as a public service by america's cable television companies and is brought to you by your cable or satellite provider. we take you live to spotsylvania been pennsylvania. this years theme is great defenses of the civil war. historians will talk about the strategies of the union and confederate armies during battles. topics covered including the battles of gettysburg,