Teaching East Asia: Korea Teaching East Asia: Korea | Page 80

Nuclear Nightmare: Understanding North Korea is
available over the Internet. A joint production
between the Discovery Channel and the New York Times, Nuclear Nightmare provides students
with an absorbing overview of Korean history from Japanese occupation and a foundation for
understanding the unresolved North Korean nuclear crisis. The documentary combined with discus-
sions based on recent articles from newspapers and reliable Internet sites present a framework for
evaluating U.S. foreign policy during the Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations. A lesson on
Nuclear Nightmare combined with contemporary articles and Internet information will provide an
opportunity for bringing serious discussions about Asia into the classroom and serve as a powerful
reminder that the past continues to play a central role in the complicated dynamics of international
relations in East Asia. (50 minutes)
Nuclear Nightmare: Understanding North Korea
Possible questions to answer during class discussions about the documentary:
1. What was Madeleine Albright’s impression of Kim Jong Il?
2. How large is the military in North Korea?
3. What countries could be reached by North Korean missiles?
4. How long was Korea a colony of Japan?
5. What restrictions were imposed on the Korean people during Japan’s occupation?
6. What was the role of Russia in Korea towards the end of World War II?
7. What happened on August 10, 1945 at the White House?
8. Who did most Americans believe was responsible for starting the Korean War?
9. What were the dates of the Korean War?
10. Why did the United States enter the Korean War?
11. What were the results of the war?
12. What happened to the South Korean economy during the 1980’s?
13. How do North Koreans view Americans?
14. How do North Koreans view themselves and their country?
15. When did North Korea start their nuclear program?
16. What was Jimmy Carter’s role during a crisis in 1994?
17. Why were people trying to escape from North Korea in the 1990’s?
18. What percent of the North Korean Gross Domestic Product goes to the military?
19. What do you know about North Korea today? Who is the current leader of the country?
20. The documentary has given you some background for understanding the current complexity
of di plomatic relationships among the following East Asian nations: South Korea and North
Korea, South Korea/North Korea and Japan, and China and North Korea. Who are the principal
allies of the U.S. in East Asia? Where is their tension?
80
Image Source: http://www.polgeonow.com/2013/04/what-is-north-korea.html
75
41