Revisiting the Korean tree-trimming incident

In 1976, two Americans were killed while trimming a tree in order to improve visibility between two checkpoints when the North Koreans attacked them. In response to this act, American forces raised their defense readiness, reinforced their positions on the position, and chopped down the tree. This act is considered significant because it brought about an apology from then North Korean leader Kim Il Sung. Newly declassified records demonstrate that there was a great desire to retaliate with force on the American side, and yet the simple act of chopping down the tree marked recourse to the least drastic of the proposed measures. This successful step in avoiding escalation is interpreted here in detail through a recounting of the event in its entirety, with a discussion on the implications of the decisions eventually taken by the American leadership.