When North Korean Axe Murderers Nearly Caused WW3

[@ateocara3683]

North Korea's mad bulldog Pak Chol was killed by South Korean special forces 8 years later. South Korean airborne troops successfully retaliated for the US soldier who was killed with an axe.

[@BOAYang]

How they kill dude?

[@bigcraig79]

@@BOAYang This is not completely true. Pak Chul was killed in 1984 during a russian defector incident. Pak Chul was VERY infamous and everyone knew who he was and what he did in the DMZ at that point as a trouble maker. Pak led the charge across the DMZ chasing the russian defector and had a close encounter with a M203 grenade launcher...and that was the end of him

[@benn454]

@@bigcraig79 And nothing of value was lost

[@ateocara3683]

@@BOAYang At that time, North Korea's hereditary system was changing. It was done by Kim Jong-il, the son of Kim Il-sung.

[@ateocara3683]

@@bigcraig79 Old case, I made a mistake with another case. It was 1984, 8 years later, not 2 years later. Thank you.

[@IRONFOX6-fy5se]

I was mentioning this incident to my son. Warfighters must always be prepared and TRUST NO ONE. Thank you for sharing.

[@bigcraig79]

protect yourself at all time. Never turn your back

[@AlbertPorto-z3y]

I remember this incident very well as a member of a rifle company in the 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Hovey, Korea

[@m134762]

Thank you for your service from Korea!

[@crypticrusader4028]

Thank you for your service

[@ChrisKane-]

World War Tree. 😂

[@pyeitme508]

TRUE!

[@princessmarlena1359]

Damn, you beat me to it!

[@thegentlemenwarrior8241]

I'm laughing at the idea that they almost went to war over a tree.

[@michaelpipkin9942]

What are you, Irish? haha

[@kellychuang8373]

Yeah it really is.

[@EnRiCo45100]

a certain Blue Jay once says, "To give'em a little back up"

[@shashwatsreenivasan4505]

I was the first to post that bird

[@NarbsTheGreat]

Getting mad over a tree and killing over it is some Elven logic lol

[@chrislaurent1137]

Damn! I haven’t seen much hostile discourse over a simple thing since the time The US and Great Britain almost went to war over a pig.

[@kellychuang8373]

Well with times now and also the history of the North and South Korea really having conflict even after the War it really isn't surprising.

[@josesigala7520]

Lmao and then the American civil war happened 😂​@chrislaurent1137

[@elchicogore9517]

There are sacred things that are worldly things we see everyday, the fact the south koreans just ignored the warnings of the north koreans was considered some sort of challenge, and i dislike the north korean government.

[@Edits4life-jx7mo]

Not5 Korea respects their leaders ALOT that’s why if It wasn’t planted by that other leader of north Korea they probably would’ve just went “meh idc”

[@Nekyomi]

this is one of the most bizarre stories I've ever seen. The first time I saw a story like this was from Countryball comic strip summarizing this conflict but never explained what happened after the murders.

[@ateocara3683]

North Korea's mad bulldog Pak Chol was killed by South Korean special forces two years later. South Korean airborne troops successfully retaliated for the US soldier who was killed with an axe.

[@Nekyomi]

@ateocara3683 they managed to assassinate him in North Korea?

[@ateocara3683]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3O9fmSooJWYhbs

[@DanielaPerez-ru3cz]

Did you hear about when the Kim Jon Un father kid knaped two south Korean movie stars in order to make movies..........

[@DanielaPerez-ru3cz]

Oh yea and there are NK soilders in Ukraine now......NK always behaves like this. You didn't know 😂

[@soulknife20]

North Korea said the US couldn't have anyone on the ground. They never mentioned the air or sea.

[@Yk1000-]

Yep that's why they lost their minds when they saw all the back up that arrived.

[@deniseeulert2503]

I was in the US Army, in South Korea, when this happened. We were confined to base, working extended shifts. It really did come close to war. It was not long until I was supposed to be going back stateside, and I was allowed to make a MARS call home. Before the radio connection was made I was told, "If anyone asks what is happening, just say everything's fine." That's when it got scary.

[@enriqueespinosa5828]

Yes, of course, and I am a veteran of the First World War.

[@deniseeulert2503]

@@enriqueespinosa5828 Why do you think I am not telling the truth? You should be banned.

[@harcomou8395]

​@@deniseeulert2503I guess he is frustrated over how unimportant he is. Thank you for your service. What unit were you in ?

[@deniseeulert2503]

@@harcomou8395 I was at Camp Humphries, in the Army Security Agency. My MOS was 98G2LKP and I was a Korean linguist trained at the Presidio of Monterey. We did radio work. My main regret of being over ther in 1976 was that I missed all the Bicenntenial hoopla back home. Thanks for your kind reply.

[@katyusha9050]

Thank you for your service

[@hfar_in_the_sky]

To me, I always thought it was oh so convenient that a tree that helped mask the NK portion of the DMZ just “happened” to be a tree planted by their most revered leader. Like “Oh was it now?” 😑

[@andezong9565]

Well yes of course our Great, Noble, and Glorious All-Seeing God-Emperor Kim Il Sung/Jong Ul/Jong Un planted that sacred (and suspiciously very specific, individual) heavenly tree! Typical brainwashed imperialist Yankee drone slaves would believe that it was “natural”.

[@user-qp7ye2dx8k]

Fun Fact : Park Chung-hee, the then South Korean president, said, "Bring my helmet and boots right now. Crazy dogs must be clubbed." Then, he ordered an attack on a North Korean guard post. The U.S. military was unaware of what would happen because this order was not notified to them So, The U.S. military was very embarrassed to see the South Korean paratroopers who were escorting them, suddenly running to a North Korean guard post with clubs and guns When an Us army driver, fearful of WW3, tried to stop them, the paratroopers threatened him with a pistol and made him get out of the way. The North Korean soldiers tried to restrain them several times while the South Korean paratroopers smashed their guard posts, But every time the North Korean soldiers approached them, the South Korean paratroopers threatened them with a swearing, so north koreans retreated in fear. Park Chung-hee ordered that the North Korean soldiers be killed immediately if they approached within 30 km, but none were killed because the North Korean soldiers was scared This operation was obviously a reckless Operation, so all South Korean paratroopers wrote a will before attacking

[@thegrandpowerchannel314]

Damn, those paratroopers were ANGRY

[@thegrandpowerchannel314]

Damn, those paratroopers were ANGRY

[@ateocara3683]

The North Korean officer who led the axe murder incident was eliminated by the South Korean military two years later. At that time, the South Korean leader mobilized 60 South Korean airborne troops to destroy two North Korean outposts, and the United States was furious that this increased the risk of war. However, the South Korean military retaliated and killed the North Korean officer two years later. After that, North Korea's Kim Il-sung issued his first apology to the South Korean government.

[@Zippism]

This is not completely true. Pak Chul was killed in 1984 during a russian defector incident. Pak Chul was VERY infamous and everyone knew who he was and what he did in the DMZ at that point as a trouble maker. Pak led the charge across the DMZ chasing the russian defector and had a close encounter with a M203 grenade launcher...and that was the end of him

[@ateocara3683]

@@Zippism You are right. In 1984, eight years after that incident, Pak Chol of North Korea was killed. The two years I mentioned were a mistake with another incident. Thank you.

[@StephenLuke]

RIP Arthur G. Bonifas (1943-1976) and Mark T. Barrett (1951-1976)

[@cameronhermann9400]

And the South Koreans who died as well. RIP

[@HarshmanHills]

The US believes in "proportional" response

[@theconductor2969]

That was proportional.

[@Messametti]

It worked fine, getting even an apology from the dictator shows that overwhelming force is the only thing they understand.

[@theconductor2969]

@@Messametti Yea. I mean come on. They killed a guy and beat a bunch of other people over pruning a tree. Anyone who honestly thinks this was too much force is either stupid, evil, or weak.

[@iliadnetfear2586]

​@theconductor2969 they killed 2 guys.

[@tbnrwolff3354]

Okay I don't know if it says in the video yet or not but it was a reasonable thing to do that tree was blocking an outpost of somehow someway they managed to take that Outpost without alerting anyone then we wouldn't know and they could prepare an attack so taking down the tree so we can see The Outpost was very much reasonable in my opinion there's also the fact that it was in South Korea not North Korea DMZ wise anyway

[@GeorgeTyrrell-qm2ep]

the Americans were verry considerate and didn't want to disobey various treaties as no standing army was allowed in the dmz so they brought their army over the dmz.

[@dodgermaven]

This history video has never made me more proud to be an arborist in my life.

[@Minboelf]

US respounds later would be a definition of "exert dominance"

[@MidnightVRYT]

I wouldn't classify arboriculture "gardening"... Tree work is very different comparatively but I'm getting hung up on technicalities. Absolutely love watching these videos and learning more interesting details I never learned in school about war history!

[@Legendary-Past]

Good point! Arboriculture does have its own unique set of skills and knowledge. Glad you're enjoying the videos! It’s always fascinating to learn the lesser-known details of history.

[@bakixavirists4561]

This definitely should be a movie!

[@Josef-v8i]

I agree.

[@josefk7437]

I am guessing Kim Il Sung did not really plant that tree, but the North Koreans protected it and made up that story because the tree was useful in its view-obstructing value. I remember reading the Bonifas story in Rick Atkinson's book The Long Gray Line.

[@bigchrisp6173]

If this isn’t an act of war, I don’t know what is.

[@longtabsigo]

When I was a commander in Korea, I would send my new soldiers up to the DMZ to get a feel for it, I also showed them the video of the murders and reminded them that we should not assume just because we have no interest or desire to “shoot first” that those other guys are thinking like are. It was a really good thing that I had a set of PinPoint orders for a specific unit, because when I in-processed, no sooner had I walked thru the door, at 6’2”+ I heard a major say “There is the next guy in line for that commander job up in the “Joint Security Area” where one of the only qualifications is that you are 6 feet tall or or taller! It is no joke up there.

[@sodog44]

And according to the Fat Electrician, our response was "Proportional".

[@peterstuber7456]

As do I :)

[@DarkKnight52365]

of coarse America has to do everything "Proportional"

[@stephweasenforth7891]

There is a difference between “dominance” and “superiority”. USA and SK checked the “superiority” box that day.

[@shaider1982]

Yeah, "proportional", just more than a value of one🤣👍🏻

[@Donovan-b8s]

Great video simple history

[@CARL_093]

1976 Korean axe murder incident On August 18, 1976, North Korean soldiers killed two United States Army officers, Captain Arthur Bonifas and First Lieutenant Mark Barrett, in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The officers were part of a work party cutting down a poplar tree in the Joint Security Area (JSA). The incident is also known as the hatchet incident, the poplar tree incident, and the tree trimming incident. Arthur Bonifas and Mark Barrett, U.S. Army soldiers, were killed in the Korean Demilitarized Zone by North Korean forces by their own axes they were using to trim trees in what was called the Korean axe murder incident.

[@MichaelHenderson-vp6ur]

Wow you really watched that video bro 😂

[@burnout02urza]

"Oh Kim, Kim, Kimmy-boy...You done *fucked up* now, son."

[@this51man]

Finally, a man of culture

[@agrariananimal]

"World War Tree" lmao

[@ragingjaguarknight86]

🌳

[@daeseongkim93]

Before tourism closed to Panmumjom you could briefly pass the axe murder incident site right in the Joint Security Area of the DMZ

[@borisslavk01nolastname91]

That couldve started World War Tree, get it?

[@LemonHead-sq5ws]

Stolen comment son of a

[@borisslavk01nolastname91]

@LemonHead-sq5ws idk if I stole a comment since it just came up to my head, but I think someone made it before or after me idk

[@iliadnetfear2586]

​​@@borisslavk01nolastname91Fat electrician made that joke in the title of his video on the story from over a year ago. A video with 1.7 million views, meaning 1.7 million people already had that joke in their head prior to you and Simple History (who also said the joke in this video).

[@ATW090]

somehow this gives me a recall a part from blue Jay's video, to give them a little back up

[@CooeTelish]

This incident surprise me. I thought they are going to war because of "Axe Murder Incident" i am glad they didn't declare war on each other just because of one tree.

[@forkstealinggoblindumbass2106]

Rise of nations

[@TheBICBOIChannel]

If they went to war, it would not have been over the tree but for the lives that were unjustly taken.

[@okamijubei]

​@@TheBICBOIChannelstill kinda stupid they done it over a tree instead of an abduction on a filmmaker and an actress

[@Verelkia]

5:45 I don't think this was about the poplar tree anymore.

[@karlmorgan8580]

It’s not about a tree. It’s about sending a message.

[@RuelGabayeron]

​@@karlmorgan8580That was no message

[@kim0307b]

판문점 도끼 만행사건

[@rtyrsson]

I almost missed it... World War "Tree." Excellent pun! As for the massive response during the 2nd removal of the tree... That was America and South Korea taking a stand and informing the Norks that they did not control the situation as they thought.

[@thenewjord50]

"Chop the tree down" Suzy Sheep from Peppa Pig

[@Zhe-wf8vm]

Remember, this was all over a tree

[@theshenpartei]

The world’s most expensive and deadly tree clearing job

[@Legendary-Past]

Crazy to think how close we came to something so huge over an incident like this! History is full of these intense moments that could've changed everything

[@masungayongiro]

I heard that part of the tree became a swagger stick for a camp head or something on the SK side.

[@ianfinrir8724]

It did but I think it's in a museum now.

[@Acedobul]

The americans and south korean could have avenged the tree trimmers death, but they didn't.

[@MumboJumboZXC]

The South Koreans did

[@ateocara3683]

The North Korean officer who was the key figure in this incident, Pak Chol, was killed by South Korean airborne troops two years later. South Korean troops retaliated.

[@shayaldwarka7907]

​@@MumboJumboZXCnah they didn't

[@shayaldwarka7907]

​@@ateocara3683that is propaganda. He was killed by a russian defector in 1984

[@NoA-oz6kr]

@@shayaldwarka7907 자꾸 왜 선전이라고하냐? 미군한테 총맞아 죽은게 밝혀진게 언젠데 대체 어디서 가짜뉴스보고 이러는거야?

[@slimrummy4616]

Communication is key 🗝️... Prob coulda saved everyone the 'headach'

[@ceeril]

Dang, SK really pulled the Freedom card.

[@GhostTrueCapitalist]

And the US response... "Finish the job left unfinished."

[@northamericanintercontinen3207]

“The tree was planted by Kim Il Sung” translates into “I know you want or need to cut or prune the tree but I’m a petty POS and I want to be petty.”

[@Legendary-Past]

I get what you're saying! It’s interesting how symbols, like a tree, can hold so much meaning in these situations. It really highlights the deep emotions and tensions involved.

[@WarDaddy_21]

Lmao the South Korean/American response was hilarious 😂 They really wanted to show how serious they were about taking down that tree.

[@Legendary-Past]

Lol, totally! The response definitely shows how committed they were to the mission. Sometimes these historical events seem almost unreal!

[@na-chto-ya-trachu-vremya]

That response and origin of the story was stupid AF. They could have just talk to Northerners after first attempt to cut tree, gently excavate and sent tree to North.

[@iliadnetfear2586]

​@@na-chto-ya-trachu-vremyatag^

[@Abyss_Keeper]

This is what we call a proportional response

[@derluftwaffe_nicht_nazi]

Im Korean(South Korea) thank you service for my country from USA

[@sisubkim960]

The Korean word '경무' written on the armbands of North Korean soldiers are strange. They are words that are difficult for Koreans to understand what they mean.

[@jcy8256]

북한에서는 헌병대를 "경무부", 헌병을 "경무원" 으로 쓰이는데.. 아마도 세글자 단어라 한글자는 가려진 각도라고 생각하심이.. 구글에 경무원 검색하면 조선인민해군 붉은색 경무원 완장찬 사진에도 마지막 글자 "원" 자는 잘 안보여요..

[@ryleeculla5570]

You hit back you hit back twice as hard

[@therichestmaninbabylon8231]

I’m sure that no tree has ever or will never cost this much to cut down again

[@Stratovox]

Asking close air support for falling a tree is the most American thing I have heard for a while.

[@goofyahhslimjackson1942]

When changing the title for the 5th time nearly caused my brain to explode

[@julianstone1192]

Awesome summary, if you want a longer more detailed account of WW Tree Count Dankula has one on his Absolute Mad Lads series Anyone else getting AoE2 flashbacks refresh the lumber camps when they hear that chopping sound?

[@horseclock6454]

The animation when they're planning and the one guy is like "What are we gonna do about the tree?? It's sacred to them!" And then the other dude just leans over and slaps it down like "Man F#@$ THEIR TREE.." lmao how I like to imagine it happened.

[@dsfetds9911]

6:24 - There is a historical inaccuracy. Presidenet Moon Jae-in was part of the 1st Special Forces Brigade. But he was not member of the 64-men detachment form 1st Special Forces Brigade. At that time, he took part in this Operation as the supporting member in the rear. Because he was not the occupation soldier, he was the conscriptee.

[@BrainDamageIV]

Well, this is interesting

[@tungtvann1]

Imagine being carried in a womb for 9 months. Growing up into an adult, to be killed over a tree in a country that isn’t even yours lol, what a silly death

[@Jackmoment-u8w]

The way they avenge those 2 is wild

[@tungtvann1]

@ what they cut down at tree? And flew a few aeroplanes about and pointed some guns? Wowaweewa they sure showed them

[@Jackmoment-u8w]

@@tungtvann1 and got a freaking air craft carrier and got a grenade launcher and deployed some South Korean Special forces 🤣

[@Jackmoment-u8w]

@@tungtvann1 special forces units*

[@tungtvann1]

Sounds like the North Koreans won the cost benefit equation. Cost them a swing of an axe and an apology for taking a life

[@JakeTheEngineman]

Day 1 of asking simple history to make a video about the famous P51 Mustang

[@SkacyMaeTarot]

My grandpa was there!!!! ❤

[@patrickb1303]

If I remember correctly this dude got hit with a grenade launcher at the end lol.

[@Darth_Traitorous]

Thank you for explaining this, but the fat electrician did it very well when he did his video on Operation Paul Bunyan. Operation Paul Bunyan was basically the axe murder incident in the Korean DMZ.

[@Tsvergxy1776]

Flexing your military power to your enemy just to cut a tree is absolutely insane

[@Hypocricid3]

Who is this "fat electrician" people are talking about in the comments? Am I the only one lost here?

[@robfromjersey7899]

He's a KZbinr, the channel is "The Fat Electrician." Great channel, lots of fun.

[@benn454]

Military history KZbinr with about 1 million subs.

[@treyjordan3168]

A fairly popular Military History KZbinr that is highly recommended, especially for His witty yet informative style

[@iliadnetfear2586]

He made a video on this over a year ago. More jokes, more history, more entertainment, and his video was twice as long. Currently sitting at 1.7 million views, yet everyone is pretending that they alone or Simple History came up with the "World War Tree" pun when it's been the thumbnail joke of his video since it uploaded last year.

[@JenniferBean-k3z]

Dang all over a tree

[@alexanderleach3365]

Nearly starting a war over a tree? The North Koreans can be totally nuts all for something stupid.

[@princessmarlena1359]

It probably wasn’t truly about the tree.

[@alexanderleach3365]

@@princessmarlena1359 I think so too.

[@elchicogore9517]

You didn't even watch the first part of the video right

[@josefk7437]

The tree had view-obstructing value. I am guessing Kim Il Sung did not really plant it, but when the North Koreans noticed its view-obstructing value, it became a sacred Kim Il Sung tree.

[@alexanderleach3365]

@ I did. And the North Koreans nearly started a war believing that tree was planted by the first Kim Il-sung.

[@thramagen]

Thought I was watching a That Chapter video for a second with that world war tree comment

[@-Autocons9999]

I like how in both fat electrician and simple history that bull dog was never mentioned ever again

[@shadown5757]

So in short the tree got cut……”either you cut it or I cut it” 😉

[@TV-rf8hq]

As a South Korean, I will never forget the sacrifices of Captain Bonifas and Lieutenant Barrett.

[@anthonyiocca5683]

The skuttlebut about that tree. It wasn’t chainsaws, they used detonation cord and blew the tree into toothpicks…

[@TSLAYER34]

Dude, all that firepower for a single tree

[@MilitaryPlayer141]

N. Korea: USE THE AXE, NOT CHAINSAW USA: Fine… just stop killing us with axes

[@kellychuang8373]

Seems even gardening is dangerous on the DMZ too.

[@flamingrubys11]

6:33 heres the funnier part... they werent supposed to have any weapons but smuggled them in

[@michaelpipkin9942]

DMZ Axe Murder sounds like a case where a Techno DJ went crazy, or the name of a crazy Techno MC...

[@saiyaneclipse3245]

😂😂😂 I still can not believe this was all because of a tree

[@bvillafuerte179]

Good video.

[@noahboat580]

How much backforce does claymores even have once detonated? Thats wild about the south koreans strapping claymores on their chest

[@VinnieMC31]

I swear Nick covered this in one of his episodes…

[@MajorJakas]

How big could this tree actually be if it was planted by someone still alive? Tree growth is notoriously slow.

[@BinhTran-mw9hg]

Did you make video about the brawl between Indian and Chinese troops?

[@aaronblank2318]

Threat of conflict or not, the U.S. and South Korean soldiers had the right to defend themselves. To send them into that situation without weapons or an armed escort was irresponsible.

[@diamond-dog-6412]

“Grandpa what started world war 3?” “……a tree was cut down”

[@this51man]

I believe those B-52s also had nukes on them too

[@김낙지]

삼가 고인의 명복을 빕니다.

[@byazura9824]

Back when we had balls

[@thanadolphanpermpoolkkool3166]

Barrett? As a gun or a person? They are the same!😂

[@NonYa-ub7oz]

The "Dear Leader" might have apologized. However, the axe used to murder Capitan Bonifas is in an N. Korean Museum. That does not equate to sorry.

[@Mr.Funnyman273]

Based N. Koreans.

[@Vlad-fm3gk]

When Simple History Writes Sensationalist KZbin Headlines While Doing His Research From His Mom's Basement

[@DerLetzenGachaganger]

North Korea: Hey! Our leader planted that! FOR THE LEADER!!

[@hyperu2]

NK felt the tree was significant but that wasn't a poplar opinion.

[@ianfinrir8724]

Hardy har

[@Taistelukalkkuna]

Hey cut that punning down. We did not ax for that.

[@awkander]

I wouldn't believe what the US says

[@social3ngin33rin]

Omfg, the operation name!!!! Perfect!!!

[@sabersalsh1200]

I for one never trusted trees

[@brandanpalmer]

Its honestly is comical how grade school bully ish the North Koreans acted here. Made some outlandish and unnecessary claim about their supreme leader planting the tree, and then we’re only brave enough to attack when they had overwhelming numbers. But once overwhelming force was thrown back at them, they cowered and apologized like a meek little lamb.

[@iliadnetfear2586]

"TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE...."

[@masudashizue777]

All this for a stupid tree.

[@huitzi-quetzal1422]

The lorax is disapointed 😔😔😔

[@YourBoyForGaming]

Overkill: yes

[@bleachandlean1307]

Couldn’t they have just built a taller guard tower that looks over it?