On the big and small screens in the United States, movies of World War II and the Vietnam War are full of movies, while the equally tragic Korean War (hereinafter referred to as the Korean War) is rarely mentioned, and it is only a few films that are carefully counted. The Americans seem to be deliberately trying to forget the war, and even the monument was inaugurated 42 years after the armistice. In contrast, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was inaugurated 7 years after the end of the war, and one can't help but wonder why Americans are like this. The famous American political commentator and writer Goulden explains why in his book.
The American War Memorial Park, located opposite the Lincoln Memorial, was not completed until 42 years after the armistice
The US government and opposition to the Korean War can be said to suffer from collective amnesia, and not only are there very few films reflecting the Korean War, but even a handful of books on the Korean War are also very few. And even if there is, it is often used with words full of forgotten colors such as "undisclosed" and "revealed". For example, Goulden's book "The Untold Truth".
The famous American author Habersmuta wrote a book on the Korean War and the Vietnam War: "The Coldest Winter" and "Outstanding Collection". The latter was published in 1972 before the Vietnam War was fully concluded and made Habersmuta famous in one fell swoop. The Coldest Winter, which reflects the first Marine Division's escape from Lake Chosin, was not published until after his death in 2007.
The Untold Truth Chinese translation
Some people say that the Korean War did not establish a new international order in one fell swoop like World War II, nor did it reshape the new pattern of AMERICAN politics like the Vietnam War, nor did it win brilliantly like the Iraq War, and even whether this war was won, lost or drawn, it is still a matter of debate, which is still rare in all foreign wars in the United States.
At a 2010 event to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, Obama, who had just won the Nobel Peace Prize, suddenly declared that the United States had won the war, which caused an uproar in the world. Goulden immediately commented, saying that the highly talented student ignored reality and changed history, and that his actions were sensationalism.
Soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division, claiming to have been undefeated for 160 years, were captured by volunteers
As we all know, the starting point of the US military in the Korean War was the 38th Line, and at its most arrogant time, it once reached the Yalu River on the mainland border, and the final outcome ended on the 38th Line. For the U.S. military, it has expended a huge amount of manpower (more than 170,000 casualties) and material resources (direct and indirect war expenditures reached $95 billion), but has no actual benefits, but has made a wedding dress for others, completing the rise of an ancient Oriental country, which is not at all in line with the American style of "no profit and no early".
In The Untold Truth, Goulden wrote: "Of america's many unpleasant experiences, the Korean War was a fairly serious one, and when it was over, most Americans were anxious to erase it from memory. This is the first stalemate that the United States has been forced to accept, and we have been defeated by a large and backward Asian country.
In this kind of war, the United States made heavy bets and said big words, but in the end it was unable to cash in. During the two years of negotiations, the United States was humiliated, the casualties continued unabated, and our opponent was just a seemingly large but impoverished agrarian country. The United States has suffered to maintain the so-called coercive global order. ”
Clark who signed the armistice
This may tell the truth about the United States' desire to forget the Korean War. Clark, the third commander-in-chief of the coalition forces who signed the armistice agreement, also said: This agreement temporarily stops the unfortunate war, and I sincerely hope that it will be terminated forever. ...... I was given an honor that was not worthy of boasting, to be the first American general to sign an armistice without victory, and I felt the pain of disappointment, and I believe MacArthur and Ridgway shared the same feeling.