The title (38 Across) refers to a specific crossword puzzle clue, but it also applies to the Korean War which started when the North Korean soldiers "crossed" the "38th" parallel (latitude or border) of neighboring South Korea.
Anna Wallis Suh (1900 - 1969), the woman generally associated with the nickname Seoul City Sue, was a Methodist missionary, educator, and North Korean propaganda radio announcer to United States forces during the Korean War.