The Korean War seems to me more as a direct result of WWII, whereas Vietnam was more political.
But I digress.
All that I recall of A Private Little War is the horned-guy-in-a-white-gorilla-suit, the Klingons introducing the rifled barrel, and the girl.
How did Kirk end the conflict?
Didn’t end it, but gave them a tech edge. I think it was something like a better firing mech for their rifles. And then explained it would have to happen again when the commie Klingons gave their side a one up. And so on…
The Mugatu was the only honorable creature in that entire episode.
.
Not an edge, just parity. Kirk has Scotty fabricate 100 flintlocks to give to the side that didn’t have them. That way they could kill each other on more equal terms.
They were under mind-control, or illusions, or some’at, weren’t they? They might have thought they saw a safe landing position. (Been too damn long since I saw that’n – which may ultimately be a good thing…)
It was just arming them with flintlocks. Up to then, only the villagers had the “firesticks,” and the Hill People used bows and arrows. The Klingons were about to up the ante by giving their side an upgrade (a more secure powder pan, probably with a frizzen). Rifled barrels were coming later.