The Forgotten War
“In the simplest of terms, what we are doing in Korea is this: we are trying to prevent a third world war.” ~President Harry S. Truman
On this date in history, 68 years ago, the United States was plunged into a shooting war in a little known part of the world as the North Korean army poured more than 75,000 soldiers across the boarder at the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea. What was first thought of as a boarder incident was soon recognized as a full scale invasion and caught the South Koreans and their American allies completely unprepared. After three bloody years of intense fighting, all parties in the war have settled into a cease fire agreement that still holds to this day as a final peace in the region seems forever elusive even though recent talks have brought the discussion of a final peace treaty to light yet again. How did this all come about? How did the peace and the safety of the world come to hinge on such a small part of the world?
The Korean Peninsula, which was held by the Empire of Japan at the end of World War II, was divided between spheres of influence in a similar manner as Germany with the hopes of reunification to take place at some future date. The Soviet Union was given North Korea to govern and the United States was tasked to help South Korea. Korea had been in the possession of Japan since 1910 and the Korean people suffered terribly under their oppressive rule. The Korean Peninsula was split along the 38th parallel after WWII and it soon became apparent that the two halves of the country would be estranged much like their German counterparts as the Cold War developed between the Soviet Union and the United States. After the North attacked the South with such ferocity, President Truman was able to get a security resolution passed through the United Nations which called for military action under the flag of the United Nation versus the United States acting alone, (the resolution passed because the Soviet Union, which had the power to veto such a measure, was boycotting the U.N. Security Counsel at the time). This “hot war” in the midst of the growing cold war was the acid test between the ideas of communism of the Soviet Union and China and the ideas of democracy of the West.
The Korean War was considered a “police action” and called for a limited war (a return to the status quo versus total victory and the reunification of Korea), and was an unpopular war in the United States as we were only five years removed from WWII. The human cost for the war, over a period of three years, for the United States stands as just over 36,000 deaths and over 100,000 wounded. South Korea had over 217,000 casualties (killed and missing), North Korea had over 406,000 casualties and China suffered over 600,000 casualties. The numbers are just staggering as to the amount of human life lost over the three years of the war. During the 20 years the United States was involved in Vietnam, our total losses there were over 58,000 dead and over 153,000 wounded…just to give a perspective and comparison. Because the Korean War sits between World War II, (the good war), and the Vietnam War, (considered by many to be an unnecessary war and highly unpopular), it has become a largely forgotten conflict of arms. If not for the popular television series MASH, the Korean War would be a forgotten footnote by many today. Only by understanding the complex history of the Korean War, all of the participants, and the roles of those participants of the conflict (then and now) can we hope to have lasting peace in the region.
War should never be an option, as a kid I pretended I was a tough Marine like John Wayne just like every other kid…but then I grew up and saw the horrors of war on the evening news. I hope for a peaceful solution on the Korean Peninsula, not only for the peoples of those two nations, but for my children…and their children when that time comes. I honor those who gave so much to provide the privileges I have today, and I respect them for the sacrifices they gave. I hope that someday peace will rule the day and armed conflict will be a thing of the distant past and confined to the history books. As we get closer to our nation’s birthday, remember to take care of yourself and each other, we’re all in this together.
Wm Reid
Best Home Care Services
325 N Eastern Ave
Connersville, IN 47331
765-827-9833
wmreid@bhcshealth.com