The Korean War is often known as the forgotten war with many us soldiers returning home to little to no welcome. This summer marks 70 years since their return. By the end of the war, almost 5 million were dead. 40,000 Americans died in action. The Korean War was officially *** United Nations police action but American soldiers died there yet, when the veterans came home, it was *** complete zero. We didn't get any recognition whatsoever. Nobody even knew we were in *** war. Nobody knew what was going on in Korea. I think the nation as *** whole wanted to forget it. And, uh, that's probably the reason it's just never been taken care of. It was kind of ***, an unstated bargain between the American citizenry and the GIS. We won't um bring up the war and you have had no necessity to confront your experiences as well. And so the United States then put the war behind it and moved on to other matters. The war was pushed to the back of the American collective mind for many reasons. The war started only five years after World War two. So the general public was focused on those veterans and that major victory, there was also no rationing at home either. So life felt relatively normal for civilians. But probably the biggest reason for it being forgotten was the fact that it never really ended. The last two years of fighting were *** stalemate. And ultimately the creation of the Demilitarized Zone or the DMZ lay around the 38th parallel where fighting had initially begun. The DMZ stretches 160 miles along the border and acts as *** buffer between the North and South Korea. The defeats that American troops were sustaining on the battlefield which were really unprecedented in the history of the United States. Keep in mind their memory was *** us overwhelming military victory during World War two just years earlier. And so Americans were very frustrated with the war and very fearful of what the war meant for it and they wanted the war to end today. 70 years later, the war is still technically going on, although it is peace time and it's important to emphasize from the beginning that the armistice didn't end the war. The war goes on to this very day, the armistice only ended the fighting. And so there still exists *** formal existence of war between the United States and South Korea and North Korea and China reunification of the Peninsula remains *** long term goal, bringing back *** singular career. But that is far from likely according to Professor James Mare, I see no possibility of reunification of Korea. South Korea has all of the advantages in the competition between the two. And it's really an understatement to say that they have *** far superior economy. It provides fully for the needs of its people. North Korea, on the other hand, runs *** brutal dictatorship has *** pathetic economy can barely provide for its own people. North Korea holds on to its position precariously. It's able to rely upon nuclear weapons as *** deterrent against any sort of military action taken against it to overthrow the regime. Shortly after the Korean War, Koreans favored reunification. Many had family members on either side of the DMZ and wanted to reunite as time went on. Though generations passed the gap between North and South Koreans widened the reunification of Germany which occurred in 1990 1991. And many in Korea believed that that was going to happen in Korea. And many believe that as *** result of the demise of the Soviet Union, that the North Koreans weren't going to be able to survive much economically, but that um sentiment quickly dissipated during the 19 nineties when South Koreans became aware of the huge cost that West Germany had to pay for the rehabilitation of East Germany to rehabilitate North Korea after reunification would make, you know what took place in Germany look like *** Sunday walk in the park now, although Koreans are mostly uninterested in reunification, the peninsula remains in *** precarious situation as the North develops nuclear weapons. After *** recent barrage of missile launches the country clarifying its message overnight, the drills displayed to the full ready to hit set objects at any location and any time. But the situation is eased by the US A's promise to defend South Korea from any attack. While reunification is likely no longer an option. The impossibility of it actually helps maintain peace regime survival in the North disinterest in the South produces little focus upon reunification. And that is *** force promoting peace on the peninsula.
Why is the Korean War known as the forgotten war?
Although thousands of Americans lost their lives during the Korean War, it is known as the forgotten war. Why were civilians so disinterested in the war and how has the war shaped our modern world?
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Updated: 9:46 AM CDT Aug 1, 2023
Despite 40,000 Americans losing their lives in the Korean War, it is often known as the forgotten war, and veterans frequently express feelings of a difficult homecoming. “They weren't the victims of hostility, but they were the victims of indifference,” said James Matray, professor of history at California State University Chico. Veterans returned home to little welcome or even surprise from friends who questioned where they had been. The Korean War is commonly referred to as the forgotten war. This is partly due to its placement in history, between World War two and the Vietnam War, both wars that greatly affected global politics, American culture and society. The Korean War began only five years after the end of WWII and ended just two years before the start of Vietnam. Life back in the US remained relatively the same during the war too, with no rations and a lack of newspaper coverage. One of the biggest reasons for it being forgotten was the eventual lack of victory. The war became a stalemate, and ultimately, an armistice was signed, which ended the fighting but not the war itself. “The defeats that American troops were sustaining on the battlefield, which were really unprecedented in the history of the United States,” said Matray. “Keep in mind, their memory was of us overwhelming military victory during World War II, just five years earlier. So Americans were very frustrated with the war and very fearful of what the war on meant for it, and they wanted the war to end.”The war still technically goes on until this day, and the border between North and South Korea that was agreed to in the armistice remains the same. Whereas reunification of the peninsula was the initial goal of the war, now that is virtually impossible. The two countries have drifted further apart and now have extremely different societies, economies and living conditions. South Korea is one of the strongest economies in the world with a booming cultural life, whereas North Korea is a completely isolated monarchical dictatorship that struggles to provide for its people. Shortly after the war, more Koreans favored reunification, given their attachments to friends and family on either side of the border. When the Soviet Union collapsed, South Koreans so that, similar to Germany, they may be able to reunite the peninsula if the North gave out. However, the North held strong and the cost of Germany’s reunification became a worry for the South, making the concept of reunification look further away. In some ways, the impossibility of reunification actually provides security on the peninsula and thwarts the idea of another war. Whilst North Korea carries out nuclear tests, the South is confident that the US would come to its aid whenever needed. “Regime survival in the north, disinterest in the south produces little focus upon reunification and that is a force promoting peace on the peninsula,” said Matray.
Despite 40,000 Americans losing their lives in the Korean War, it is often known as the forgotten war, and veterans frequently express feelings of a difficult homecoming.
“They weren't the victims of hostility, but they were the victims of indifference,” said James Matray, professor of history at California State University Chico. Veterans returned home to little welcome or even surprise from friends who questioned where they had been.
The Korean War is commonly referred to as the forgotten war. This is partly due to its placement in history, between World War two and the Vietnam War, both wars that greatly affected global politics, American culture and society. The Korean War began only five years after the end of WWII and ended just two years before the start of Vietnam. Life back in the US remained relatively the same during the war too, with no rations and a lack of newspaper coverage. One of the biggest reasons for it being forgotten was the eventual lack of victory. The war became a stalemate, and ultimately, an armistice was signed, which ended the fighting but not the war itself.
“The defeats that American troops were sustaining on the battlefield, which were really unprecedented in the history of the United States,” said Matray. “Keep in mind, their memory was of us overwhelming military victory during World War II, just five years earlier. So Americans were very frustrated with the war and very fearful of what the war on meant for it, and they wanted the war to end.”
The war still technically goes on until this day, and the border between North and South Korea that was agreed to in the armistice remains the same. Whereas reunification of the peninsula was the initial goal of the war, now that is virtually impossible. The two countries have drifted further apart and now have extremely different societies, economies and living conditions. South Korea is one of the strongest economies in the world with a booming cultural life, whereas North Korea is a completely isolated monarchical dictatorship that struggles to provide for its people.
Shortly after the war, more Koreans favored reunification, given their attachments to friends and family on either side of the border. When the Soviet Union collapsed, South Koreans so that, similar to Germany, they may be able to reunite the peninsula if the North gave out. However, the North held strong and the cost of Germany’s reunification became a worry for the South, making the concept of reunification look further away.
In some ways, the impossibility of reunification actually provides security on the peninsula and thwarts the idea of another war. Whilst North Korea carries out nuclear tests, the South is confident that the US would come to its aid whenever needed.
“Regime survival in the north, disinterest in the south produces little focus upon reunification and that is a force promoting peace on the peninsula,” said Matray.
