MASSIE v. GOVT. OF DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S OF KOREA Cite as 592 F.Supp.2d 57 (D.D.C. 2008) orders of officers, there were occasions when enlisted North Korean men would initiate beatings without the knowledge of officers. See Ex. 15 at 155, ¶ 496. 59. The North Koreans used extreme mental pressures to enforce the rules, such as the ‘‘no talking’’ rule. While marching back to his room, Massie asked the Pueblo’s Operations Officer whether he had heard any news. This was overheard by the guards. After Massie entered his room, he was confronted by a particularly large guard known as the Bear, who began screaming at Massie while pointing his AK–47 at Massie’s head. He then indicated that Massie was to open his mouth. When Massie complied, the Bear stuck his AK–47 into Massie’s mouth, ejected his clip and flipped out a bullet to show that it was loaded. He reinserted the clip and then put his finger into the trigger guard while he continued to scream at Massie. Finally, he pulled the gun out of Massie’s mouth and hit Massie with it causing Massie to fall over a bunk and onto the floor. See Tr. 81, April 21, 2008. 60. On another occasion, Massie was beaten unconscious because he refused to sign a document that the North Koreans wanted to send to his family. The beatings, which included Massie being kicked in the stomach, back and groin, were followed by the threat that he would be shot. See id. at 82. 61. Throughout the time the crew was held hostage, North Korea engaged in a prolonged effort to extract a public apology from the United States Government for the Pueblo’s alleged intrusion into North Korea’s territorial waters and for spying on North Korea. As part of this effort, the hostages were forced to participate in staged press conferences held on August 13 and September 12, 1968. See Tr. 56, April 22, 2008.; Ex. 15 at 155, ¶ 490. 67 62. The latter press conference was an international press conference. At both sessions, the Pueblo’s crew inserted innuendos and archaic and corny language into their prepared statements to discredit the propaganda. See Tr. 57–58, April 22, 2008. 63. In addition, the North Koreans pressured the hostages to write false letters home to family, friends, and members of Congress reporting that they were receiving humane treatment and asking that the United States apologize for the spying and intrusions into North Korean waters. See Ex. 15 at 153, ¶ 477; Id. at 157, ¶¶ 506–509. Hostages who resisted were severely beaten until they complied. See Ex. 15 at 157, ¶ 506. 64. The Pueblo’s crew also was subjected to North Korean propaganda films. In June 1968, two short subjects were shown in which it became apparent that the North Koreans did not know what the middle finger gesture meant. This knowledge became an integral part of the crew’s anti-propaganda campaign, which caused the crew to feel that they had achieved a victory, albeit a small one, by spoiling the North Korean’s propaganda by humiliating them on a world stage. See Tr. 42, 106–07, April 21, 2008. 65. When asked what the finger meant, the crew deceived the North Koreans by explaining that it was the ‘‘Hawaiian Good Luck Sign.’’ This would later result in two weeks of severe beatings and torture of every hostage in early December. See Tr. 58, April 22, 2008. 66. The October 18 issue of Time Magazine exposed the true meaning of the ‘‘Hawaiian Good Luck Sign.’’ In late November or early December, the North Korean captors learned that the middle finger gesture, which had been shown in many pictures and videos, was an obscene gesture. See Tr. 107, April 21, 2008; Tr. 58, April 22, 2008.