REMEMBERING
A
FORGOTTEN WAR
RESEARCH LOCATIONS
By Kate Prose, Johns Hopkins Class of 2011
Mentor: Tobie Meyer-Fong, JHU History Department
OVERVIEW
I became interested in the Korean
War because I was interested in
how something can be
remembered as “forgotten.” I
initially studied cultural memory,
especially in contrast to the
Vietnam War and World War II, in
media such as films and games.
With the help of the Woodrow
Wilson Fellowship, I visited three
countries from 2009 to 2011 in
order to compare how different
countries remember the Korean
War.
My research sites included Washington,
DC, Seoul, the DMZ near Seoul, Harbin,
Shanghai, and Beijing.
Why Forgotten?
Americans “forgot” the Korean War
because they were disappointed in
the perceived weakness and failure
of returning troops—especially
POWs, who were accused of having
been “brainwashed” into
collaborating with the enemy. Pundits
from Dr. Spock to Betty Friedan first
demonized, then ignored, returning
veterans, and hardly anybody told
their stories.
Eventually, veterans of the Vietnam
and Korean Wars began to agitate
for recognition of their sacrifice and
service. Four decades after the war
had ended, a memorial to the Korean
War Veterans was opened in
Washington, DC. The memorial
features 19 combat personnel from
four services, several thousand
etched photographs of support
troops, and recognition of the
casualties of both the UN and US
troops.
A Divided Nation
Resisting America
In contrast to the US and China,
South Korea has definitely not
forgotten the war. The War Memorial
of Korea, located next to a US
military base, features over two
dozen statues, a four story museum,
and the name of every soldier who
was KIA. The memorial honors the
fallen, showcases South Korean
achievement, and expresses hope
for peace and reunification.
The Military History Museum of the
People’s Republic of China
characterizes the Korean War as an
effort to “Resist America and Aid
Korea.” Whereas the South Koreans
acknowledge all UN troops and
Americans portray their intervention as
a defense of freedom, the PRC’s
exhibit on the Korean War portrays US
involvement in the war as as an
aggressive act of interference without
noteworthy UN support.
All the war memorials I saw in Korea
devoted a significant amount of
attention to all the United Nations
members that sent military and
medical support personnel. In
addition to the other countries’ flags,
a carving of each country’s map, and
a pillar that represents the country,
the War Memorial includes the
names of all the UN soldiers who
died from 1950-1953. There are also
a cemetery and memorials to the UN
countries in Busan.
Most importantly, the PRC views the
Korean War as an unambiguous
victory for the People’s Volunteer Army.
The exhibit devotes significant
attention to the battle of the Chosin
Reservoir, displays of trophies (branch
insignia, unit patches, and so on) taken
from prisoners of war, and civilian
campaigns to overcome alleged
instances of biological warfare. The
display ends on a note of Sino-Korean
friendship. To t his day, the PRC is the
country closest to North Korea.