THE NATION: The Four-Mile Race

In its victory in South Korea, the free world had shown—at the cost of thousands of lives (see box)—that it was not only willing but able to fight. For a brief moment, in the first days of fall, the U.S. could draw a breath of satisfaction and relief. But there was no celebration, only the sense of a job done, or almost done. Crossing the 38th parallel involved more casualties and risks (see WAR IN ASIA).

Even as reports of the Korean triumph came over the wires last week, Administration officials issued warnings—President...