I was there.  You wouldn't believe how close we came to WWIII.  I have never been debriefed so I'm not sure what I can and can't say even at this late date, but trust me, we were CLOSE to the brink.  The guy who taught me some Kung Fu (he was a 6th degree black belt who beat the crap out of me every day for two months) in AIT (MP school), Mickey Price, was one of the people duking it out with the North Korean Guards.  If you had been there I don't think it would have cracked you up.

  The incident was the finale in a series of many.  Not long before this a North Korean guard, a martial arts expert, went off apparently without provocation and beat an American officer to death.  If not so dangerous the games being played there would have seemed childish and silly.  The different sides would squabble over everything.. who sat where at the "peace" table, how high and big each sides' little flags were at the table, the size of the chairs,  how tall the guards were, etc., etc..  The list is endless.  Everything was about one upmanship and propaganda value.  The North was always digging these amazing, long tunnels under the DMZ.  They were big enough for one set of railroad tracks, to allow carts to be pushed through.  They were very low and claustrophobic.  They were built by hand so their construction wouldn't be detected.  They were all like 15 miles long or more.  Prior to the incident tour groups from either side would be able to pass into the others' territory for a very closely monitored fast look at the other side.  Panmunjom was supposed to be a peace village.  Afterward the line wasn't crossed.  Again, I don't know what I can and can't say, but I can tell you for sure that had this 2nd Korean war occurred it would have absolutely been nuclear.  This is not speculation.    

  Thank you very much, bk.  I am very proud to have served.  Thanks to all our veterans, especially our brave heroes who were injured or didn't get to come home.