North Korean Missile Crisis: A Prelude to WW3?

John W. Spring

It seems as if, for the first time, the probability of World War III beginning very soon is now being mentioned. A Third World War would begin immediately if North Korea were to strike against the United States by launching an ICBM with a thermonuclear warhead that could reach any American city in less than an hour from the Korean Peninsula. World War Three would then begin because America would not wait until a North Korean ICBM were to reach its target on the mainland of the United States, but, rather, launch a series of missiles at its designated targets in North Korea as soon as satellite imagery had detected a first-strike launch by the Pyongyang regime and intelligence analysts had confirmed its destination, which would be determined in a matter of minutes. However, due to the much closer proximity by U.S. naval submarines near the Korean Peninsula, American missiles would reach North Korea within a matter of minutes while the North Korean ICBM would require at least a half-hour to reach America’s West Coast and about 45 minutes to reach the Eastern Seaboard along the Atlantic Coast of the United States.

So even though North Korea would have initiated or instigated a first-strike attack when it had provoked a war against the United States with the intent of killing millions of Americans withthermonuclear warheads, because American missiles would actually reach their strategic targets first, on the northern part of the Korean Peninsula before the North Korean ICBM were able to strike their targets throughout America, China and Russia might still be obligated to “honor” their treaties with North Korea. So Beijing and Moscow could also launch their ICBM with thermonuclearwarheads at their designated targets throughout the United States. Of course, if this were to occur, it would be the beginning of World War Three. Ironically, because so few Americans can now read Roman Numerals, instead of writing “World War III,” the news media is using the Hindu-Arabic number 3 and calling it World War 3.

There is only one thing that would be certain after a Third World War, you would then know the people of the nations who were your real and true friends. Currently, we are only guessing about who might actually be our friends. But, hopefully, we will not need to find out by the hard way.

BEHIND THE REAL CAUSES FOR THE NORTH KOREAN MISSILE CRISIS

John W. Spring

There are probably many reasons for the current North Korean Missile Crisis. In retrospect, is it possible when Kim Jong-un had secretly visited the United States several years ago that he might have been completely unaware of Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear programs in North Korea? At that time when I had direct eye contact with him at less than 20 feet, he appeared to be interested in America as a place that could possibly be enjoyed in the future. Of course, it is also possible if Kim was willing back then to take his calculated risk by riding in a 1951 Chrysler bulletproof car with a chauffeur and an armed bodyguard that he would be willing to also risk a thermonuclear war later with the United States.

According to my research related to many types of mineral deposits in North Korea, which are abundant, if its land were almost completely destroyed by a thermonuclear war, whoever could gain control of that country would acquire most of the sought-after metals and rare earths for a massive profit. So, apparently, there must be several multinational corporations and nations that are very interested in North Korea even if it were nearly completely destroyed during a war.

But even today, very few Americans are aware of the “Oregon standoff” or even that those who were involved at the Malheur Wildlife Refuge had been acquitted. However, far fewer were ever aware of the Russians contacting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton at the Department of State for special favors if they would contribute to the Clinton Foundation, which happened to be cattle ranches in the western United States where valuable deposits of uranium and precious ores were located. This was why Robert LaVoy Finicum, an Arizona rancher and spokesman for the Citizens for Constitutional Freedom, had been attempting to inform the American people about the U.S. Bureau of Land Management or BLM confiscating cattle ranches and selling their land to the Russian mining interests allegedly at the request of Secretary Clinton.

So it is also possible that the Russians might be interested in obtaining the world’s very largest mineral deposits located in North Korea. Perhaps that is the real reason behind this crisis. JWS

AN ANALYSIS OF

A FIRST STRIKE

John W. Spring

In my analytic reports that were sent to President John F. Kennedy related to the Soviet nuclear missiles being deployed to Cuba at Pinar del Rio Province in the northwestern area on the island a year before the Cuban Missile Crisis, they did not need to include an analysis of a first strike at the United States, which was based upon copious amounts of material gathered from sources as well as conclusions that were entirely mine. However, when a first strike now presently includes North Korea, it is imperative to include some of the geopolitical aspects as well as the technical ones related to this current dilemma because so many entities or factions are also be involved.

As I mentioned in my previous article, “US Intelligence is wrong about North Korea being able to produce any Rocket Engines,” in the unrelated second paragraph I mentioned, “Nearly every two decades or roughly 20 years there has been a major crisis…All the aforementioned required advance planning before they occurred. For instance, the Kremlin at Moscow began planning the Soviet deployment of the Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles and Nuclear Warheads to Cuba well before 1960. Keep this in mind when any of the aforementioned crises is being discussed. It takes time to prepare for a crisis.” But in the case of North Korea the time factor is different.

It is possible that the Kremlin might have played a role related to the very current Korean Missile Crisis in 2017. Although this crisis does not seem to fit within the period of “Nearly every two decades or roughly 20 years,” consider the deterioration of the diplomacy between Moscow and Washington during the Obama Administration when Hillary Rodham Clinton held the office of Secretary of State. In retrospect, it appears as if then Secretary Clinton had seriously diminished relations between Russia and the United States to the extent that the Kremlin may have begun to prepare for a thermonuclear war against America. However, such a crisis would require advance planning by the Russian leaders—something unconventional, rather unique and very different.

In Russia, President Vladimir V. Putin has as his key adviser a geographer who is exceedingly well educated in all aspects of geopolitical matters that includes a fluent knowledge of nearly all regions or realms throughout the world to most other systematic disciplines such as science and economics as well as military strategy. As a professional geographer, some of my counterparts in Moscow and Beijing have provided significant challenges. But seldom in my situation, do I ever have access to an American President or the opportunity to provide him or her with a solution.

Assuming there may have been rather disturbing behavior in Washington, at least as it might have been perceived by Russian Intelligence, a plan could have started in Moscow for a first strike againstthe United States that would be highly sophisticated and without any warning.

It is possible that such a plan could have included using North Korea to carry out the very first strikeagainst the United States, which might hide Russia’s role behind such a crisis. But if it were successful, then Moscow and Beijing might become tempted to also launch their ICBMs.

But in the meantime, while such operations had begun in North Korea, instead of the Republican Party in the United States nominating the former Governor of Florida, John Ellis “Jeb” Bush, as their presidential candidate, they elected Donald John Trump. Due to Putin’s apparent dislike for former Secretary Hillary R. Clinton, probably based upon her earlier actions and behavior at the U.S. Department of State, he decided as an “outsider” to support Trump during his campaign.

However, if such alleged plans were already underway in North Korea for Russia to provide the RD-250 rocket engines needed by Pyongyang for its ICBMs, it would be rather difficult for the Kremlin to halt such a clandestine program. Furthermore, the secret program, if it did ever exist, continued to move at full speed ahead because the news media polls in the United States favored Hillary Clinton to such an extent that she would win the presidency by a landslide victory. With Donald Trump being deliberately designated as the loser in nearly all polls released by the news media, it definitely gave Moscow the impression that he did not have a chance for winning. But the Russians from the outside still continued with their rather marginal support, which probably never amounted to any real impact that could have in any way changed the results of the general election for the presidency. So if such a plan was derived in Moscow it continued in Pyongyang.

Meanwhile, significant “progress” was occurring with the missile and nuclear programs in North Korea that was comparable to former Soviet technology during the early 1960s. During the end of the Obama Administration, Pyongyang had developed a miniaturized thermonuclear weapon that could be mounted on an ICBM. By the beginning of the Trump Administration, it had made an ICBM that could strike anywhere within and even beyond the United States. By August 2017,

U.S. Intelligence had announced that North Korea had an estimated 60 nuclear warheads. Based on Pyongyang’s earlier production of nuclear weapons, it would have required significant help to obtain sufficient supplies such as enriched uranium, plutonium, deuterium, tritium and lithium deuteride. An estimated 60 or more nuclear warheads would have required very refined material from outside sources, which would probably include China and Russia. Give this some thought!

So it is possible that this current North Korea Missile Crisis might have actually been planned in Russia or even China. However, Moscow might have a motive for developing this crisis in a far lesser period of time. Unfortunately, we in America have no idea what might have been taking place in Washington during the Obama Administration or even during earlier administrations.

The only information that we do know is that Kim Jong-un has a first strike ICBM with a nuclearwarhead that is capable of completely destroying any large American city in the United States by now having an arsenal of early 1960s technology. Although his weaponry may not be anywhere as advanced as our current technology, because President Barack Obama scrapped our Missile Defense System program, we do not currently have an effective means of defending our people from a nuclear first strike against America. Furthermore, most of North Korea’s infrastructure for its strategic facilities are located underground at a depth of one-mile, which is well beyond the penetrative and destructive effectiveness of most U.S. ordnance that would be required for destroying such deep targets. Note: Some minor changes were made in the previous article.

US INTELLLIGNCE IS WRONG ABOUT

NORTH KOREA

BEING ABLE TO PRODUCE ANY ROCKET ENGINES

John W. Spring

Very recently, an U.S. intelligence official said, “We have intelligence that North Korea is not reliant on imports of [rocket] engines. Instead, we judge they have plenty of ability to produce engines themselves.” During September in 2016, Kim Jong-un had revealed a new rocket engine that was based on an older Soviet model of the RD-250, which U.S. intelligence believes can be built in North Korea. The RD-250 was originally produced during 1963 and made its first flight on December 16 in 1965. Although Yuzhmash originally designed and produced it at Dnipro in the Ukraine, production was halted in 2001. However, Energomash at Khimki, located close to Moscow, in Russia, also produced it and may have continued production to a later date. Because that Russian aerospace corporation had closer ties with Pyongyang in North Korea, it probably is the recent source for the RD-250, which is a liquid fuel rocket engine with tremendous thrust.

Nearly every two decades or roughly 20 years, there has been a major crisis. The Cuban Missile Crisis happened in 1962, 55 years ago. The Second Soviet Missile Crisis occurred in 1983, 34 years ago. The Attack on 9-11 took place in 2001, 16 years ago. Now, we have the latest Korean Missile Crisis in 2017. All the aforementioned required advance planning before they occurred. For instance, the Kremlin at Moscow began planning the Soviet deployment of the Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles and Nuclear Warheads to Cuba well before 1960. Keep this in mind when any of the aforementioned crises is being discussed. It takes time to prepare for a crisis.

AN ICBM TEST RATHER THAN A FIRST STRIKE

John W. Spring

While Michael Elleman of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, UK did notice footage from Japan’s NHK News that indicated the Hwasong-14 ICBM re-entry vehicle may not have survived the “rigors of re-entry,” his conclusions could be very wrong by claiming that if the re-entry vehicle or “RV had survived the ‘rigors of re-entry,’ it would have continued to glow until disappearing behind the mountains.” So based upon his statement, he concluded that the Hwasong-14 ICBM was defective and probably unable to reach the U.S.

For the record, after reviewing a glimpse of the NHK News footage, I also saw what might have been a dimming of the glow from the Hwasong-14 ICBM during its re-entry before crashing into theSea of Japan. However, it should be noted that stormy weather conditions with heavy rain had also caused very poor visibility as was noticed by the rain drops on the camera lens. Furthermore, it was an ICBM test rather than a first strike.

If its launch were for a “first strike” instead of a test, that ICBM would have spent considerable time in space before re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere. Then its gradual re-entry in the Earth’s atmosphere would increase the level of heat for the RV. However, a “first strike” re-entry does not generate nearly as much heat as would an accelerated “drop” during a relatively shorter rate or period of time. So while the “test” may have failed, if the Hwasong-14 ICBM had instead been programmed for an actual “first strike” trajectory, it would have probably been successful for destroying its designated target over any spot in the continental United States because of its gradual re-entry rather than an abrupt one, which happened during that test.

Therefore, in spite of its possible “failure” during that restrictive test with its constraints, the ICBM would probably have been able to successfully complete a “first strike” mission over the United States that might have killed over a million Americans.

So do not take any comfort with this possible “test” failure over the Sea of Japan because if there was a technical problem, North Korea will correct it very soon while the United States remains beguiled and deceived by a THAAD anti-missile that is not an effective Missile Defense Systemneeded to protect Americans from Pyongyang’s Hwasong-14 and also Beijing’s DF-31AG.

THREE AGAINST

ONE NATION

John W. Spring

During this last weekend of July in 2017 when the U.S. Missile Defense Agency had announced a successful test of a THAAD anti-missile launch from Kodiak, Alaska, which is not an effective Missile Defense System for destroying an ICBM, after striking its target over the North Pacific Ocean, besides North Korea, there was also bad news coming out of China and Russia.

At Zhurihe PLA Training Base in China’s Inner Mongolia, Chinese President Xi Jinping did participate in an armed forces parade displaying the DF-31AG ICBM that would be deployed against the United States by China if Washington were to strike at North Korea’s arsenal of nuclear weaponry, which is being produced at a “crash” rate by the regime of Kim Jong-un at Pyongyang. The DF-31AG ICBMsends multiple nuclear warheads to a range of 6,800 miles.

Meanwhile, in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin has retaliated against Washington by ordering the expulsion of 755 American personnel from the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Russiafor the recent economic sanctions being imposed upon his nation by the U.S. Congress. However, there is more-likely an attempt by the Kremlin to diminish “intelligence-gathering” related to North Korea by American personnel concerning any Russian supportive activity that might be aidingPyongyang during this crucial time.

In spite of what geopolitical analysts at the U.S. Department of State and intelligence analysts with the various U.S. intelligence agencies in Washington may think, it is possible that China and Russiaare clandestinely supporting the Missile and Nuclear programs within North Korea for the intent of having Pyongyang carryout the initial destruction of the United States for the benefit of Beijing andMoscow by destroying Washington in a nuclear holocaust.

As an independent geopolitical analyst and geographer, I am aware how key advisers in Beijing andMoscow act due to their education and training background that is similar to mine. So it is not my role to please any of those political factions that may favor a foreign leader such as Xi or Putin. The only close contact that I ever had with any foreign leader was with Kim Jong-un at a distance of less than 20 feet when we stared at each other for only three minutes after he and his armed bodyguard got out of a bullet-proof 1951 Chrysler sedan at a nearly deserted parking lot by a restaurant inAnaheim, California. But based on that brief encounter years ago, Kim was definitely willing to take calculated risks to further his knowledge about America then and strike at it now with an advancedICBM and nuclear warhead that can reach any U.S. city. JWS

NORTH KOREA’S LATEST ICBM IS

KN-20/Hwasong-14

John W. Spring

The ICBM launched from North Korea on July 28, 2017 in Jagang or Chagang Province was a KN-20/Hwasong-14, which is estimated to have a far greater range than being able to strike at any place in the United States, but, rather, even beyond America. U.S. intelligence agencies and the news media are at least saying that it could strike beyond the West Coast to Denver as well asChicago. They are even suggesting that it might be able to reach Boston and New York, but not quite yet able to destroy Washington. However, based upon my analysis, the truth is that it can now reach and destroy any large city located in the continental United States.

Jagang or Chagang Province, from where the KN-20/Hwasong-14 was launched, is located on the border with China along the Yalu River across from China’s Northeast formerly known asManchuria. Because this province abounds in underground mineral resources, its earlier mining activity probably led to the construction of one-mile deep bunker-tunnel complexes required forPyongyang’s ICBM and Nuclear programs. The majority of the underground military industrial facilities are currently located in Jagang or Chagang Province, including portions of their lethalweapons of mass destruction or WMD program. This is also where Chosan County is located.

The reason for the nighttime launching of that ICBM may be related to secrecy or security of the surrounding strategic area of the launch site or the KN-20/Hwasong-14 long-range missile itself.

When I relocated from Los Angeles to Sunset Beach, a very small town in Orange County that is now part of Huntington Beach, after enrolling as a student at California State University at Long Beach during the fall of 1960, nearly 57 years ago, the possibility of my analytical reports related to the former Soviet military build-up on Cuba, which also included findings for nuclear missile launch sites in their early stages of construction at Pinar del Rio Province located on the northwestern portion of the island, ever reaching President John F. Kennedy in time for him to authorize U-2aerial reconnaissance flights before they could become operational after the Cuban Missile Crisismay seem beyond belief, but it did. Now we must face up to reality again.

NORTH KOREAN MISSILE CRISIS

NOW REVEALED

John W. Spring

Early this Friday morning at 7:45 am PT or 10:45 am ET, North Korea launched its second test of anintercontinental ballistic missile or ICBM at 23:41 North Korean time or 15:41 GMT. It is rare for Pyongyang to have a nighttime launch, so, perhaps, instead of launching the mobile Hwasong-14, which was launched on July 4, 2017, it might have been the newest ICBM KN-08, which has a far greater range that is estimated to reach beyond the United States. Secrecy may be the reason for this nighttime launch. Poor weather delayed the earlier plan for this launch.

According to BBC News, South Korea and the Pentagon have announced that North Korea has conducted a new intercontinental ballistic or ICBM test. The ICBM reached an altitude of 3,700 kmor 2,299 miles and it landed in the East Sea or the Sea of Japan. This latest ICBM had flown higher, further and longer than the one launched on July 4, 2017.

Jeffrey Lewis, a nuclear nonproliferation expert with the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California, said that “Initial indications showed the latest missile had a range of 10,000 km—far enough to strike the west coast of the United States and beyond.”

The Washington Post reported that Denver and possibly Chicago could be within the range ofNorth Korea. For the news media to even suggest this newest threat is significant.

David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists said, “If the missile had been fired on a trajectory designed to maximize its range, it could have flown6,500 miles. This is without taking into account the rotation of the Earth, which increases the range of missiles fired to the east.” He added “Los Angeles, Denver and Chicago appear to be well within range. Washington may still be just out of range.” Those were only his estimates.

Please understand that my analysis of most geopolitical situations has generally been at least one year ahead. However, in this situation, I have been several years ahead of what has not yet been analyzed and released to the public by the U.S. intelligence agencies and the news media. This is why I urge you to become aware of this nuclear threat from North Korea right away. JWS

NORTH KOREANMISSILE CRISIS

John W. Spring

How do you test fire an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile or an ICBM without actually testing one? You do what North Korea has been doing for several years now. You test its components or similar components separately. This has enabled Pyongyang to deceive Washington and the West for quite some time. North Korea’s most recent missile test, when it was able to launch what appeared to be a KN-17 medium long-range missile 1,245 miles into space above the Earth, should cause any competent intelligence analyst with a strong scientific background to become aware that it will no longer take more than three to five years before Pyongyang is able to strike at the mainland of the United States, which would include nuclear warheads reaching as far as New York and Washington, D.C. The truth is that North Korea is able to strike at any designated target in the continental United States right now and that might be at the place where you live.

NBC News has reported “Two U.S. defense officials confirm that North Korea’s launch of a KN-17 missile last Sunday was successful and that the missile’s re-entry vehicle did successfully re-enter the atmosphere.” This is a very significant scientific revelation because it means nuclear warheads are definitely able to reach their targets without burning-up or disintegrating upon re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere from space. Note: This is the earlier article.

But why should you believe me? Because, during the fall in 1961, I was able to provide a report to President John F. Kennedy related to the Soviet nuclear missile launch sites in northwestern Cuba a year before the Cuban Missile Crisis, which occurred during the fall of 1962. None of the U.S. or foreign intelligence agencies can take credit for my analytic report that was sent to JFK.

But based upon my research related to North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs over the past several years, I know that Pyongyang now has many ICBMs with nuclear warheads that are able to strike as far east as the Atlantic Coast or Eastern Seaboard of North America. Unfortunately, the U.S. Missile Defense System Program was scrapped during the Obama Administration so there is no effective way at this time to prevent all of the very long-range missiles that would be launched from the Korean Peninsula or by North Korean naval submarines at sea from striking large cities and other strategic targets throughout the United States. The North Korean Missile Crisis has been in existence for several months and it is about time the American people become aware of this thermonuclear threat that our leaders in Washington are uninformed of due to the probable incompetency of our intelligence community. America, wake up to this danger now!