Alternate History 🇺🇸 November 2, 1976: President Nelson Rockefeller wins election to full 4-year term and the aftermath

[Sergeant Foley]

​

......"Well, I'm convinced that we are, here in our country, on a road to a solid recovery. We have brought inflation down to a fraction of what it was. We've cut our interest rates in half------we have much further to go into that. And our unemployment is dropping rapidly. As a matter of fact, just last month our unemployment reached a point that in our most optimistic predictions we had thought we wouldn't reach for another year or more. And I believe that the United States recovering that much can have an effect worldwide in the other countries where recession has prevailed, so that I'm optimistic that we are on our way to a solid recovery and it will be worldwide......"
-Excerpt from the Interview of President Ronald Wilson Reagan by Jung-suk Lee of the Korean Broadcasting System
Monday, 7 November 1983
White House Library
Washington, DC

 

[Sergeant Foley]

AUTHOR'S UPDATE: FOLLOWING INSTALLMENTS IN CHAPTER 17 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC:
*Election Results in Mississippi and Kentucky.
*Personal PoV's (Fall 1983)
*Wednesday, 9 November-Saturday, 12 November 1983: Highlights of President Ronald Reagan's State Visit to Japan
*Excerpts of President Reagan's Address to the Japanese National Diet: Friday, 11 November 1983.
*Saturday, 12 November-Sunday, 13 November 1983: Highlights of President Reagan's State Visit to the Republic of Korea
*Excerpts of President Reagan's Address to the Korean National Assembly.
*Excerpts from President Reagan's Address to the troops at Camp Liberty Bell.
*Sunday, 13 November 1983: The Reagan Assassination in Seoul and huge ramifications.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR WILLIAM F. WINTER REELECTED IN THREE-WAY CONTEST; BECOMES FIRST MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR TO SUCCEED HIMSELF

*Tuesday, November 8, 1983: Mississippi Governor William Forrest Winter made history by becoming the Magnolia State's first Mississippi Governor to succeed himself by winning reelection to a second term defeating challengers Leon Bramlett and former Fayette Mayor Charles Evers in a three-way contest. Although slightly lower from his landslide victory back in 1979 when Winter won with 61% of the statewide vote four year ago, Winter won reelection by 17 percentage points this year.

The Mississippi State Legislature overwhelmingly voted to approve HB-802 back in 1981, which allowed Mississippi Governors to succeed themselves. Sources indicate Winter has declared his intentions of seeking reelection to a third term in 1987, which if completed, would make him the Magnolia State's longest-serving Governor with 12 years by 14 January 1992.

*(Mississippi Governor)
William F. Winter (Incumbent): 529,325 (55.27%)✔ Declared Winner
Leon Bramlett: 288,764 (38.88%)
Charles Evers: 30,493 (4.12%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

KENTUCKY LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR MARTHA LAYNE COLLINS WINS GOVERNORSHIP; MAKES HISTORY AS FIRST FEMALE GOVERNOR OF THE BLUEGRASS STATE

Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Martha Layne Collins easily defeated State Senator Jim Bunning and made history as the Commonwealth's first female Governor succeeding outgoing Kentucky Governor John Y. Brown, Jr., who's prevented from succeeding himself due to the one-term rule for Kentucky Governors; Collins will take office on 13 December 1983.

*(Kentucky Governor: OPEN)
Martha Layne Collins: 561,674 (54.50%)✔ Declared Winner
Jim Bunning: 454,630 (44.11%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 17 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC: Personal PoV's

 

[filipina84]

Glad you're enjoying "The American Republic" @49ersfootball. Now here's what I've got planned for the following in the upcoming chapters:

*Philippine President Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr.,: The plan is to have him die from kidney failure sometime around 13 March 1984 and succeeded by his wife, Philippine First Lady and Vice President Imelda Romualdez Marcos, who'll be facing growing brewing backlash which will be detailed in Chapter 21. Spoiler Alert: NOT tipping my hand on that one, but it's hinted Corazon Cojuangco Aquino becomes President.

*Republic of Korea President Chun Doo-hwan: With the assassination of then-ROK Prime Minister Roh Tae-woo, I plan on having Chun extending his stay in the Blue House longer and ensuring he'll remain President of the Republic of Korea until 25 February 1993.

*Empress Farah Pahlavi of Iran: Haven't decided what to do with her as of yet, but the plan is having her quietly abdicating the Iranian throne around 1991 and having her son, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi being proclaimed as the new Shah of Iran.

* Brazilian President Joao Figueriedo: The plan is having him serving out his six-year term and leaving office in 1985, which will be heavily detailed in Chapter 17.

* Taiwanese President Chiang Ching-kuo: Still riding extremely high following his controversial military operation against the PRC during the Fall of 1982 by taking nearly half of the Mainland. He likely still dies in office on 13 January 1988 in this timeline like he did in real life and succeeded by Vice President Lee Teng-hui.

* Queen Margrethe II of Denmark: Still running the Kingdom of Denmark and likely abdicating from the Danish throne on 14 January 2024; Succeeded by her oldest son, Crown Prince Frederik, who will likely become King Frederik X.

* King Bhumibol Adujlayeh of Thailand: Haven't gotten to him yet. He'll be a factor somewhere around either Chapter 18 or 19.

* Uruguayan President General Gregorio Conrado Alvarez: Upping the ante even further against the opposition by crushing descent. He'll be mentioned in Chapter 18 at some point.

* Haitian President Jean-Claude Duvalier: Likely being factored in Chapter 19.

* Indonesian President Suharto: He was mentioned in the earlier chapters of this timeline during the Rockefeller administration. He'll be a huge key player sometime around Chapter 18.

* French President Francois Mitterrand: Skillfully keeping his cancer a super secret from the public. Big question is whether he'll make it to 14 years in office? Stay tuned.

* King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia: They were somewhat mentioned in the earlier chapters of this timeline back in the Fall of 1975, but they'll be focused more heavily on Chapter 19.

* King Baudouin I of Belgium: Since I butterflied away the heartbreaking miscarriages and decided to give King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola lots of kids, I was busy working on Baudouin this week during the recent winter freeze storm here in the Lone Star State, which will be put together in Chapter 20.

* King Carl Gustav Gustav of Sweden: Still running the Swedish Royal Family as the King of the Kingdom of Sweden. As of today, he's still kicking and at some point, his oldest daughter, Crown Princess Ingrid will likely become Queen of Sweden in the future. Not sure when Carl Gustav kicks it......

* King Olav V of Norway: He'll be factored in the later chapters of The American Republic. Haven't done research on him yet.

* US President Ronald Wilson Reagan: Likely to be assassinated in Chapter 17 during his State Visit to the Republic of Korea on 13 November 1983. Keep an eye on it because this will have huge devastating ramifications as the Tippancanoe Curse will strike again!

* US Defense Secretary Henry Marion Jackson: Likely to die in office on 1 September 1983 in the early stages of Chapter 17.

Wondering what you've got in store for the tailend of Chapter 17?

 

[Sergeant Foley]

......"Off to Asia. A farewell ceremony in the East Room; then flying on Marine One to Andrews Air Force Base for the flight to Japan, Republic of Korea and the Philippines. Began the day however with a short meeting re a possible airstrike in Beirut against those who murdered our Marines. I decided we don't have enough intelligence information as of yet.......

......On my way, 7 1/2 hours to Anchorage, Alaska. There is a 4-hour time difference, so it was only 11:30 AM in the morning, but at this time of the year, it seemed like evening. We met with military and civilians 8,000 of them in a hangar. We were warmly received by the most enthusiastic crowd. On our way over the Pacific, there was another 7 1/2 hours to Tokyo. Before we left the States, we learned that George (Vice President George HW Bush) had cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate to killing an effort to deleting Binary (Chemical weapons) from the Defense bill. Later on during the flight, we got word that the Senate passed the Defense appropriations bill in an overwhelming 86-6 vote......

......We tried the new plan in order to minimizing the long jet-lag due to the long 7 1/2 hour flight. Only sacked for 6 hours------didn't sleep all of them. Then got up and had brunch on what would've been lunch time Tokyo......"
Diary Entry of Ronald Wilson Reagan
41st President of the United States
Wednesday, 9 November 1983

 

[Sergeant Foley]

......Air Force One arrived at the Haneda Airport, the Reagan's were greeted to a cheering crowd. Twelve minutes later, Marine One left Haneda Airport for the Landing Zone at the Akasaka Palace; Upon leaving Marine One and getting into the Presidential limousine, the Reagan's and the accompanying dignitaries left the Landing Zone via motorcade, finally arriving at the Akasaka Palace......

......The members of the Imperial Japanese Royal Family and other dignitaries were in attendance during the Welcoming Honors Ceremony for President Reagan, who was dressed in a clam hammer morning suit, where the Reagan's were also greeted by Emperor Hirohito. Following the National Anthems of the United States "Star-Spangled Banner" and Japan "His Imperial Majesty's Reign"; President Reagan reviewed the troops of the Japanese Self Defense Force......

......following the end of the Arrival Honors festivities, President Reagan and Emperor Hirohito held a formal meeting inside the Imperial Palace. Later, President Reagan met with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone at the Kantei Residence. The day ended with the State Banquet at the Imperial Palace hosted by Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nasako......
-Excerpts from The Presidency of Ronald Wilson Reagan as the 41st President of the United States and The Foreign Policy Accomplishments: 20 January 1981-13 November 1983
NBC 36 KTVV-TV Austin Live Special Coverage of the President's State Visit to Japan
Wednesday, 9 November 1983

 

[Red_Tornado]

Reagan is standing like palace guard in that video.

 

[49ersfootball]

Why do I get the feeling that Reagan's going to get killed in a violent gruesome way in Korea ?

I can smell it. The damn Tippacanoe Curse strikes again OMG!

Likely having huge ramifications going forward in this TL.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Reagan is standing like palace guard in that video.

You noticed in both of the videos?

 

[Sergeant Foley]

​

......"Out to visit the Meiji Shrine and then to witness an exhibition in which riders in ancient costume ride all out shooting arrows at bulls eye targets-and hitting them. We were with Crown Prince Aikhito and his wife, Crown Princess Michiko. Both are quite nice people. We've invited them to the United States; We then went to the Prime Minister's Residence (Kantei) for meetings and a luncheon with Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone and his wife, Tsutako. Midafternoon, got back to Akasaka Palace for a nap, then up once again and into White tie and tails......

......I met with a group of Japanese who have raised $1 million for the Ronald Reagan Scholarship Fund at Eureka College. Then stopped by an organization of Japanese and American businessmen. Then headed to the Imperial Palace for the State Dinner. My dinner partner was the Crown Princess. She was the most interesting and we had a fine discussion------through an interpreter......"
-Diary of President Ronald Wilson Reagan
41st President of the United States
Thursday, 10 November 1983
Tokyo, Japan.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 17 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC
Friday, 11 November 1983: President Reagan addresses the Japanese National Diet

​

 

[Sergeant Foley]

PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN ADDRESSES THE JAPANESE NATIONAL DIET; MAKES HISTORY AS FIRST US PRESIDENT TO ADDRESS THE JAPANESE NATIONAL DIET
9:35 AM JST, Friday, 11 November 1983
Assembly Hall of the House of Representatives
National Diet Building
Tokyo, Japan

​

......"If we each give a little, we can all gain a lot. As two great and mature democracies, let us have faith to believe in each other, to draw on our long and good friendship, and to make our partnership grow. We are leaders in the world economy. We and the other industrialized countries share a responsibility to open up capital and trading markets, promote greater investment in each other's country, assist developing nations, and stop the leakage of military technology to an adversary bent on aggression and domination.....

......We believe that the currency of the world's second largest free-market economy should reflect the economic strength and political stability that you enjoy. We look forward to the yen playing a great role in international financial and economic affairs. We welcome the recent trend toward a stronger yen. And we would welcome Japan's increasingly active role in global affairs. Your leadership in aid to refugees and in economic assistance to various countries has been most important in helping promote greater stability in key regions of the world. Your counsel on arms reduction initiatives is highly valued by us......

......We may have periodic disputes, but the real quarrel is not between us. It is with those who would impose regimentation over freedom, drudgery over dynamic initiative, a future despair over the certainty of betterment, and the forced feeding of a military goliath over a personal stake in the products and progress of tomorrow......

......You and your neighbors are shining examples for all who seek rapid development. The Pacific Basin represents the most exciting region of economic growth in the world today. Your people stretch your abilities to the limit, and when an entire nation does this, miracles occur.
Being a Californian I have seen many miracles hardworking Japanese have brought to our shores......

......In 1865, a young Samurai student, Kanaye Nagasawa, left Japan to learn what made the West economically strong and technologically advanced. Ten years later, he founded a small winery at Santa Rosa, California, called the Fountaingrove Round Barn and Winery. Soon he became known as the grape king of California. Nagasawa came to California to learn and stayed to enrich our lives. Both our countries owe much to this Japanese warrior-turned-businessman......

......As the years pass, our contacts continue to increase at an astounding rate. Today, some 13,000 of your best college and graduate students are studying in America, and increasing numbers of US citizens are coming here to learn everything they can about Japan. Companies like Nissan, Kyocera, Sony and Toshiba have brought thousands of jobs to America's shores. The State of California is planning to build a rapid speed train that is adapted from your highly successful bullet train. In 1985, the United States will join Japan in a major exhibition of science and technology at Tsukuba, another school of our cooperation......

.....For my part, I welcome this new Pacific tide. Let it roll peacefully on, carrying a two-way flow of people and ideas that can break from barriers of suspicion and mistrust and build up bonds of cooperation and shared optimism......

......Our two nations may spring from separate pasts; we may live at opposite sides of the Earth; but we have been brought together by our indomitable spirit of determination, our love of liberty, and devotion to progress. We are like climbers who begin their ascent from opposite ends of the mountain. The harder we try, the higher we climb and the closer we come together------until that moment we reach the peak and we are as one......

......It happened just last month. One American and two Japanese groups began climbing Mount Everest------the Japanese from the side of Nepal and the Americans from the side of Tibet. The conditions were so difficult and dangerous that before it ended two Japanese climbers tragically lost their lives. But before that tragedy, those brave climbers all met and shook hands just under the summit. And then, together, they climbed to the top share that magnificent moment of triumph......

......Good and dear friends of Japan, if those mountaineers could join hands at the top of the world, imagine how high our combined 350 million citizens can climb, if all of us work together as powerful partners for the cause of good. Together, there is nothing that Japan and America cannot do......
Thank you very much. God Bless you......"

 

[Sergeant Foley]

The Up and Coming Democrats
1:36 PM CST, Friday, 11 November 1983
The Driskill Hotel
Austin, Texas

​

......"I have been receiving plenty and I do mean, quite plenty of inquiries into the matter of intriguing interest, so let me state this right here and right now: I am NOT a candidate for the Presidency of the United States, nor do I have any plans to launch a presidential campaign. I look around at the large majority in the House of Representatives including the number of Senate seats in the United States Senate as well as the largest number of Governorships in the aftermath of the 1982 Midterm elections, and I ponder about what I can do, working with my colleagues in the United States Senate including my friends in the House, on policy issues that matter to me and to my constituents. As humbled as I am by the outpouring of support I received, I lack the fire in my belly to put my family through what I'm sure would be a tough, difficult and grueling campaign for an office, that I must admit, has been elusive. So therefore, I am putting my energies on continuing representing 16 million Texans and growing by fighting for Texas and America in the United States Senate......"

-United States Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX), announcing his decision NOT to run for the 1984 Democratic Party presidential nomination.
NBC 36 KTVV-TV Austin

The most important group of people inside the Democratic Party in the Fall of 1983 weren't US House Speaker Tip O'Neill (D-MA 08th) or US Senate Minority Leader Robert Byrd (D-WV), or even United States Senator Edward Moore Kennedy (D-MA). Instead, the focus was on United States Senators Alan Cranston (D-CA) and Lloyd Millard Bentsen (D-TX), two of the high-profile names in the upcoming 1984 Presidential campaign, both took themselves out of the running altogether. For Bentsen, who previously ran for the 1976 Democratic Party presidential nomination, only to get overshadowed by the big names of 1976: Then-California Governor Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr., and Alabama Governor George Corley Wallace, Jr., which resulted in the Alabamian winning the nomination very handily, which turned off many Democrats.....only to get demolished by then-President Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller in the Rockefeller Landslide Wave of 1976. Bentsen, instead successfully ran for reelection to his US Senate seat that same year and in 1982, he went on to leading the full-scale statewide GOTV turnout machines across the Lone Star State in what political analysts viewed, "Blue Wave of 1982 in Texas" which caused large numbers of Texas Democrats to winning elections up and down the ballot: Bentsen easily won reelection to a third term in the Senate race, while Texas Democrats swept the remaining statewide offices from Governor all the way to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

Cranston surprised many people when he announced, even before Bentsen did, that he will not be running for the Presidency and dropped out of the 1984 Democratic Party presidential nomination due to low polling numbers. Facing a potential Reagan landslide tidal wave like he experienced back in 1966 when he lost his reelection bid for California State Controller while Reagan easily rode to the Governor's Mansion and led the California Republican Party to nearly sweep all of the statewide offices, Cranston just didn't want to face getting crushed again, so he decided to stay put as Senate Minority Whip, but speculation has been swirling that he really wants a different job-that of Senate Minority Leader, and of one of these days, replacing Byrd in this influential role.

Bentsen was interested in assessing the host of other Democrats, who were currently running for the 1984 Democratic Party presidential nomination, with the political situation in 1983 seeming to be somewhat favorable to the Democrats since 1932, but the main concern for some Democrats: keep their majority in the House of Representatives, while finding ways in potentially flipping back control of the Senate in 1984. In addition to the smattering list of who's who: Those, who had zero chance of winning the nomination: Civil Rights leader, the Reverend Jesse Jackson of Illinois, was seen by voters as too controversial, flamboyant and divisive; United States Senator Gary Hart (D-CO), whose campaign exploded once the Informer tabloid magazine revealed Hart in the company of his mistress on his secret boat trips including videos of the two having sex orgies; Former United States Senator and 1972 Democratic Party presidential nominee George McGovern (D-SD) never went anywhere, so he dropped out in the later part of October 1983; former Florida Governor Reubin Askew and United States Senator Ernest "Fritz" Hollings (D-SC) didn't see their respective campaigns gain any traction amongst the voters due to low polling numbers.

Others being viewed: Governors Mario Matthew Cuomo of New York State and Mark Wells White, Jr., of Texas, were just recently elected to their respective Governorships in 1982, both turned down potential 1984 presidential campaigns for obvious reasons: neither wanted to abadon their respective States in the middle of their first terms. Popular NASA Astronaut and United States Senator John Glenn (D-OH) was seen as a poor public speaker despite his successful NASA Space Astronaut career, but Glenn was determined to remain in the race. Former US Ambassador to Canada Walter Mondale of Minnesota was the first to immediately announce the day following the 1982 Midterm elections, followed shortly thereafter by Hart, Hollings, Glenn, etc.,

There was someone else, who was beginning to catch the voters' attention: Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt, who had just come off of a landslide reelection victory to a second full four-year term in 1982. He was a pragmatic, moderate Democrat from the Rocky Mountain West: he had executive experience, leading a staunch conservative Republican State by navigating Arizona through tough, difficult times. If the story was to be told, Americans was one as based on resumes and experience alone------Bentsen sumrised, they had the best list of candidates to see who would get the Democratic Party presidential nomination in the hopes of giving President Reagan a run for his money. But would Americans agree?

Bentsen wasn't so sure about the current list of Democrats, who weren't on the top of their game: having seen Reagan destroying Carey in 1980, that he wanted to know the answers to see if anyone can avoid getting demolished in the fourth consecutive presidential election in a row.

However, events in Seoul, Republic of Korea were going to turn the 1984 Presidential campaign upside down.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

COMING UP IN CHAPTER 19 OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC
United States Senator Dolph Briscoe, Jr., (D-TX) announces his decision about whether he seeks reelection
to full six-year term as the Lone Star State's Junior United States Senator in 1984

​

 

[Sergeant Foley]

Slow Dragged-Out Return of Democracy inside the Federative Republic of Brazil

​

Following the US-backed military coup d'etat in 1964, which toppled the populist leftist government of then-Brazilian President Joao Goulart, the Military Junta of Brazil quickly formed the National Renewal Alliance as the largest South American country's governing body. It was also during this period, where the pro-military government surprisingly legitimized opposition, albeit conservative.

While at the same time, the Military Junta engaged in sadistically torturing perceived leftist agitators and dissidents via extreme gruesome methods; killing an estimated 400+ members of the opposition in extrajudicial killings (which would escalate in other countries in the coming decades); forcing the exile of many dissidents including the aggressive brutal raping of female Brazilian women and teenage girls.

Justification of these methods was a result of the Brazilian Miracle during the 1970s, where Brazil enjoyed among the highest growth rates and strongest economy inside Latin America and despite aggressive censorship and the obvious coziness of many State news media outlets like SBT and TV Globo with the Federative Republic. There was a full-scale thriving society because of the ever expanding middle class emerging in the 1970s, allowed Joao Figueriedo to become Brazil's new President in 1979 and like his predecessor, Ernesto Geisel, Figueriedo continued the slow dragging-out redemocraticization process.

There were some rough patches, however.

The once-booming Brazilian economy was severely damaged as a result of the Oil Shocks of 1978 and 1979; Even more devastating than the 1973 Oil Crisis had shook confidence in Latin America. While the "Decada Perdida" might not have been long-lasting in Brazil, it still struck nonetheless.

Figueriedo attempted to transition Brazil gradually under the PDS: Democratic Social Party which was basically a full-scale rebranding of ARENA. Yet, the once steady economic growth and rising standards of living on which the military dictatorship put their credibility on the line with the Brazilian public stopped altogether. In late Fall 1981, the Brazilian economy continued having strong rough patches and was steadily collapsing and crashing quickly.

Brazil's economic crisis were beinf overshadowed by the basket cases of neighboring Argentine Republic, who was still suffering the horrific and severe devastating ramifications from the disastrous Falklands War of 1982 and massive Inflation Crisis; Mexico was seeing their economic crisis escalating non-stop, which resulted them entering sovereign debt default in the Summer of 1980 due to the economic mismanagement of the Robleses' domestic policies.

When Spring 1982 came, Brazil ended up becoming the largest debtor in the entire world with non-stop soaring inflation that forced the Figueriedo administration to combating with controversial, extreme austerity measures which quickly drove millions of Brazilians into destitution.

Timing of these austerity measures was not good timing considering the 1982 Congressional and State elections were around the corner, which the newly-legalized opposition announcing their intentions of directly contesting. While the pro-military government DPS won 43.22% compared to the opposition BDMP garnering 42.96%, it was in the State Governorships where the BDMP won 13 Governorships including victories in three of the major State Governorships in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerias, and Sao Paulo; the pro-military government had won 11 of the State Governorships.

 

[Sergeant Foley]

......"following the two hour and five minute flight from Japan, Air Force One landed at the Kimpo International Airport in Seoul, where ROK President Chun Doo-hwan and his wife, ROK First Lady Madam Lee Soon-ja including several high-profile distinguished guests greeted the Reagan's......

......The Arrival Honors Ceremony took place inside of the Kimpo International Airport, where the respective national anthems of the United States "Star-Spangled Banner" and the Republic of Korea "Aegukga" were performed by the ROK Armed Forces Marching Band. Next, the choir sang "Battle Hymn of the Republic" followed by remarks from both Presidents Chun and Reagan......

......This was the key height of the President's tour of the Asian Pacific, with the next trips expected to have heavy security in the Philippines set for November 14th-17th and Taiwan set for November 17th-21st......

......Security inside the Republic of Korea was tight and also overwhelming due to the threats against President Reagan by North Korea. The drive from the Kimpo International Airport ended at the official residence of the US Ambassador to the Republic of Korea. Ambassador Richard L. Walker and his wife, Cindy moved out of the residence so that the Reagan's can live there during their stay in the Republic of Korea......"
-Excerpts from "The 11.13.83 Incident in Seoul: Assassination of President Ronald Wilson Reagan"
Spring 2004​

 

[Sergeant Foley]

​

......"It was a beautiful day in the Republic of Korea. The sun was out and the crowd was large and getting quite larger than I have ever seen in my 10 years in the United States Secret Service. Plus, the security was maximum huge due to the death threats, etc.,

Both the United States Secret Service and the Korean Presidential Security Service coordinating together as well as working in making sure President Reagan's State Visit was going well, safe and calm......

I was riding in one of the passenger seats in one of the lead-up cars, looking at the crowd, figuring that nobody wouldn't be that nuts in trying something stupid or anything suspicious. Of course, this was just two years following the assassination attempt on the President on the 30th of March 1981. Everything was so innocent......"
-Frank Corrigan
Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Secret Service
Personal Diary
Saturday, 12 November 1983
Seoul, Republic of Korea

 

[Sergeant Foley]

The Korean Breeze Special
11:00 AM KST, Saturday, 12 November 1983
Blue House
Seoul, Korea

The Family Presidential Portrait of ROK President Chun Doo-hwan, ROK First Lady Madam Lee Soon-ja
and their four children: Three sons: Chun Jae-yong; Chun Jae-guk, Chun Jae-man; daughter: Chun Hyo-sun inside the Blue House (Fall 1980).​

......"In front of the most powerful organizations under the Park Chung-hee Presidency, it surprised me how easily Chun gained control over
them and how skillfully he took advantage of the circumstances. In an instant he seemed to have grown into a giant."
-ROK Army Major Park Jun-kwang
ROK Armed Forces Security Defense Security Command.



Following the shocking assassination of then-ROK President Park Chung-hee by the KCIA on 26 October 1979, the Republic of Korea descended into total and utter chaos.

Under the guise and cover of "maintaining national security," the Defense Security Command, which was being run by ROK Army Major General Chun Doo-hwan begin quickly gaining influence inside the government; intelligence briefings of the KCIA were being sent to Chun's office at the Republic of Korea Army Defense Security Command Headquarters 24/7. Cabinet ministers and high-ranking members of the administration of ROK President Choi Kyu-hah were also being influenced and lobbied by Chun and his subordinates.

During this period and also concerned with the personal welfare and safety of the family of the late ROK President Park Chung-hee, Chun personally gave $500,000 USD & likely more to Park's daughter (and future ROK's 18th President) Park Geun-hye. When word reached Army Chief of Staff General Jeong Seung-hwa, he scolded and reprimanded Chun during this closed-door meeting. Following that experience, Chun was determined not to ever let Jeong humiliate him like that again.

And Chun was plotting to get even!

Hanahoe, the secretive group and club of high-ranking ROK Army commmissioned officers (which included Chun and his close friends from the Korean Military Academy) became strongly aggressive and applied maximum persuasive tactics by courting government officials by pledging them new positions to serve in the "government-in-waiting"; Chun had two obstacles in his path of getting to the Blue House (Residence of the ROK President and First Family): General Jeong and President Choi.

Chun subsequently ordered all of the intelligence briefings to now be sent to his office at 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM everyday, so he could decide whicih information he would give to higher command. In one quick move, the ambitious Chun took full control of the entire country's national intelligence agencies. He also put the KCIA Deputy Chief of Foreign Affairs in charge of running the day-to-day business operations of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency.

In the following month before the 12.12.79 Coup, Chun, Roh Tae-woo; Yu Hak-seong; Heo Sam-su and others from the 11th graduating class of the Korean Military Academy, continued taking advantage of the fragile and tenuous political crises by aggressively growing and increasing the strength of Hanahoe including the courting of key military commanders as well as openly subverting the nation's intelligence agency organizations.

On 12 December 1979, Chun's forces arrested Army Chief of Staff General Jeong Seung-hwa; General Jang Tae-wan, the commander of the Capitol Garrison Command and General Jeong Beyong Ju, the commander of the Special Forces were also arrested. The 29th Regiment; 9th Division along with the 1st and 3rd Brigades invaded downtown Seoul supporting the 30th and 33rd Security Groups loyal to General Chun. Almost immediately, Chun was in full control of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces once the rebel troops took control of the Ministry of National Defense and the Army Headquarters.

Following a violent and deadlier coup in Gwangju, where Chun's loyal military troops violently cracked down on protesters in the infamous 05.18-27.80 Incident from 18 May to 27 May 1980, resulted in the dissolution of the National Assembly; enforcing reeducation camps, etc., Chun was self-promoted to the ranks of Lieutenant General and ultimately, the four-star rank of General. He also served as the Director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency. Having taking over full control of the entire government and everything else, Chun retired from the Republic of Korea Army after 25 years of service on 22 August 1980. When Presideny Choi announced his resignation from the Presidency during a national televised speech on 16 August 1980, Chun Doo-hwan's path to the Blue House was officially complete.

On 27 August 1980, the members of the National Conference for Unification met at the Jangchung Arena to vote in the indirect 1980 Presidential election and Chun was the sole candidate. He garnered 2,524 votes with 99.99% of the vote with 1 invalid vote and was inaugurated as the 11th President of the Republic of Korea at the Jamsil Arena on national television on 1 September 1980. He was reelected to a second term (seven-year term) by the National Conference for Unification on 25 February 1981 against three minor candidates, garnering 4,755 votes with 90.23% and was inaugurated as the 12th President on 3 March 1981 at the Jamsil Arena, where he established the Fifth Republic; Chun would go onto winning overwhelmingly to a third consecutive term (five-year term) on 16 December 1987 garnering 14,583,673 votes with 73.37% of the nationwide vote and was inaugurated as the 13th President on 25 February 1988 at the National Assembly Grounds and would go onto serving 13 years in the Blue House until 25 February 1993 as the second longest-serving ROK President with 12 years behind Park Chung-hee (1962-1979), who served 17 years for five terms and Syngman Rhee (1948-1960), who served 11 years. Chun would be succeeded by Kim Young-sam, who would serve as the 14th President from 25 February 1993 to 25 February 1998.

During his 13 years in the Blue House, Chun's political reforms included the following: clamping down on out-of-school tutoring and banning individual teaching and tutoring. In 1981, he also enacted Care and Custody legislation, where he believed that criminals who finished their prison sentences for repeat offenses shouldn't be allowed to return into society. He also repealed the guilt by association laws from the Park Chung-hee administration. By following the proposal of right-wing Japanese activist Sejjima Ryyzo, Chun implemented the 3S Policy (Sex, Screen Sports); Appealing to the citizens in order to ensuring the success of the 1988 Olympic Games preparations. He rapidly enacted various measures: establishing professional baseball and soccer leagues; starting the broadcast of color television throughout the Republic of Korea as a whole. Chun made school uniforms voluntary; lessening censorship on sexual suggestive dramas and movies. In 1981, Chun hosted the large-scale festival called "Korean Breeze '81" (Kukpung81), Spring of 1982 (Kukpung82) and once again in Summer of 1983 (Kukpung83).

 

[Sergeant Foley]

​

......"Korea today remains the most firmly divided of the states whose division stemmed from World War II. Austrian unity was reestablished peacefully 10 years after the war. Germany remains divided, but some of the pain of that division has been eased by the inner-German agreement of a decade ago. I know the Korean people also long for reconciliation. We believe that it must be for the people of this peninsula to work toward that reconciliation, and we applaud the efforts you've made to begin a dialog. For our part, we would, as we've often stressed, be willing to participate in discussions with North Korea in any forum in which the Republic of Korea was equally represented. The essential way forward is through direct discussions between South and North......

......Americans have watched with a mixture of sadness and joy your campaign to reunite families separated by war. We have followed the stories of sisters torn apart at the moment of their parents' deaths; of small children swept away in the tides of war; of people who have grown old not knowing whether their families live or have perished......

......I've heard about the program that uses television to reunite families that have torn apart. Today, I urge North Korea: It is time to participate in this TV reunification program and to allow your people to appear. I would say to them, whatever your political differences with the South, what harm can be done by letting the innocent families from North and South know of their loved ones' health and welfare? Full reunification of families and peoples is a basic human right......

......Until that day arrives, the United States, like the Republic of Korea, accepts the existing reality of two Korean States and supports steps leading to improved relations among those states and their allies......

......We have also joined with you over the past 2 years in proposing measures which, if accepted, would reduce the risk of miscalculation and the likelihood of violence on the peninsula. The proposals we have made, such as mutual notification and observation of military exercises, are similar to the ones negotiated in Europe and observed by NATO and the Warsaw Pact. These proposals are not intended to address fundamental political issues, but simply to make this heavily armed peninsula a safer place. For we must not forget that on the peninsula today there are several times more men under arms and vastly more firepower than in June of 1950. We will continue to support efforts to reduce tensions and the risks of war......"
-Excerpts from President Ronald Wilson Reagan addressing the Korean National Assembly
Saturday, 12 November 1983

 

[Sergeant Foley]

​

......Just a short time for a nap and change into a tuxedo then back to the Blue House for a State Dinner hosted by President and Mrs. Chun. On the way, we stopped by the US Embassy Compound to meet with a group of leading Koreans and Americans. Could only stay for a few minutes------we were delayed because one of the bomb sniffing dogs acted up about an elevator shaft. Other dogs were brought in and didn't act as if there was a problem. On to the State Dinner, it was a magnificent setting. My dinner partner was Mrs. Chun. She is a most delightful person. She and Nancy buddied up like 2 school chums. Afterwards, Korean entertainment and it was magic, the grace and beauty of the performers was like nothing we've ever seen. I wish I could bring them to America......"
-Diary of Ronald Wilson Reagan
41st President of the United States
Saturday, 12 November 1983