Would they really unleash all WMD assets and face imminent catastrophic retaliation which will turn their entire county into smoldering ruins (or even glass parking lot?) Or would they choke and fold in an anticlimactic fashion?
The latter, I think.
That is the question that must be answered. I’m sure they will unleash their conventional artillery, rockets, and missiles at Seoul and the northern portion of South Korea, but that’s largely the extent of their capabilities. The rest of their military would be destroyed in a matter of days if it came to that. It would kinda be like Desert Storm with hundreds of thousands of surrenders or those unwilling to fight. Of course, this is just my opinion.
What IF NK doesn’t care about getting nuked? What if China would like to see us knocked down a notch or two and wants NK to hit us is some way. China promises Kim a secret spot in China for him and a small top group to live/hide ? NK hits us nuclear, it doesn’t wipe us out, just slows us down for a long time. China get super power status, takes over Taiwan as they have wanted to for decades, becomes a top power in the Pacific as they have wanted, even makes money helping us to rebuild. Russia gets in on it. At that point for us who cares if NK is turned into glass ?
I believe they're counting on our fear that nuking them would draw both China and Russia into an all-out nuclear world war against us. Both nations share borders with NK and have concerns about the effects our bombs would have on them, directly or from radioactive fall-out. This is one for behind-the-scenes diplomacy with those countries. The stakes for everyone concerned are too high to get hot-headed.
I see no way that would happen. You mean Fat Boy tells his generals -- ahh never mind -- forget all that stuff we've been talking about for decades? NK is fully invested in this farce and would go out in a blaze of glory.
if trump tried such a thing he would be called a mad war monger and pulled from power. Hillary would seize control and have congress appoint her president pro-temp.