In 1948, the ROK faced legitimacy crises from the Jeju 4.3 uprising and Yeosu-Suncheon Rebellion. How did Syngman Rhee overcome these challenges? The role of UN recognition and suppression operations.
After liberation, 82% of South Korea’s police were former colonial officers. Why did the USMG make this choice? An analysis of the efficiency vs. legitimacy dilemma in state-building.
In 1946, rightist youth groups emerged to counter leftist forces. The Northwest Youth Association, Korean Democratic Youth League, and Korean National Youth – who were they, and what role did they play in state-building?
On September 23, 1946, 8,000 railway workers in Busan went on strike. This strike escalated into a nationwide leftist uprising, killing over 200 police officers. How did the nascent South Korea overcome this first major state-building crisis?
November 1963: Diem surrendered to generals who promised safe passage. Hours later, he was dead. This is the story of how South Vietnam’s founding president fell—and what his fall reveals about state-building’s limits.
Ngo Dinh Nhu built the hidden machinery of South Vietnam: secret police, intelligence networks, the Can Lao party. His methods kept Diem in power for nine years—and ultimately destroyed them both.