The Capture of the USS Pueblo: The Incident, the Aftermath and the Motives of North Korea

by James Duermeyer

Overview

For President Lyndon Johnson, 1968 was a year of calamity, including the hijacking of the USS Pueblo in international waters off North Korea. After a fierce attack by the North Korean Navy, the lightly armed spy ship was captured and its 83 crewmen taken hostage, imprisoned and tortured for nearly a year before being released.

How and why did the Navy, the National Security Agency and the Johnson administration place the Pueblo in such an untenable situation? What drove Kim Il-sung, North Korea's autocrat, to gamble on hijacking a ship belonging to the world's most powerful nation?

Drawing on extensive research, including summaries of White House meetings and conversations, the author answers these questions and reviews the events and flawed decisions that led to Pueblo's capture.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476675404
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	01/03/2019
Pages:	209
Sales rank:	395,117
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.70(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

James Duermeyer is the award winning author of five historical novels. He is a retired U.S. Navy Commander and lives in the Fort Worth area of Texas.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Preface
Introduction
One—The Ships
Destroyers and Liberty Ships
USS Liberty
Clickbeetle—The Spy Ships
The Pueblo
Orders
Rule of the Sea
Two—Leadership and Risk Analysis
Leadership
Risk Analysis
Three—Reactions
On the Pueblo
Within the Military Chain of Command
Within the Intelligence Community
In South Korea
In the Situation Room, Washington
At the White House
Reaction of Congress
Reaction of the Public
Four—Juche—Why North Korea Seized the Pueblo
The Washington Viewpoint
The North Korean Perspective
Juche
Elements of Juche
The Propaganda of North Korea
The Effect of Juche and Kim’s Propaganda on the Treatment of the Pueblo Prisoners
Five—Negotiations for Freedom
Six—The Navy Court of Inquiry
Epilogue
Chapter Notes
Sources Consulted
Index

Editorial Reviews

Duermeyer’s book is well-written and researched. He writes easily and the narrative flows smoothly. He deals deftly with the various issues involved...definitive...highly recommended”—The Northern Mariner / Le marin du nord; “fascinating...outstanding...excellent...highly recommended”—Nautical Research Journal

From the Publisher