The Korean War-What to Remember?

The Korean War is often called the “forgotten war” because it was described as a police action owing to the lack of a declaration of war by the US Congress. Further, it was ostensibly a United Nations conflict, ended in stalemate, and was overshadowed by WWII because it concerned issues much less clear.  Our task now is to work to remember the forgotten war. To do so, we will be creating our own Korean War Memorial in class.  Thus, as you make your way through the following links, take note of important words, phrases, and details.  If there are images or other items that you think might be important to help you memorialize the War, make a copy of them as you work.

1)      Skim through this special report that appeared in the St.Petersburg, Fla. Times to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the Korean War. Read the introduction on the main page and then go to the conflict section. Read the introduction and then make your way through the description of the conflict by clicking Next.  Read the information actively to ensure that you have a sense of the progress and important moments in the war.

2)      Then click on the Facts tab at the bottom of the conflict presentation.  Note any significant numbers.

3)      Next, explore the Korean War Veteran’s Memorial.  Note your thoughts about it.  Based on your understanding of the Korean War so far, do you think that this is an effective “memorial”?  If so, what makes it effective? How does the artist use material, color, scope, etc.?   What is the viewer being asked to remember or feel?  Why? Based on your understanding of the Korean War, is anything missing from this memorial (in other words, is there something that should be remembered that is not memorialized here? 

4)      Read this description of the Pool of Remembrance at the Memorial.  What do you think of this critique?

5)      Browse through the following (and/or any other Korean War materials that you can find online):

A)    “Faces Behind the Fight”

B)    143^rd Field Artillery Site

C)    History.com Photo Gallery

D)    hyperlinked story of the Korean War

For class tomorrow, find at least 4 interesting images, copy them on to SEPARATE sheets of paper and print them out.  Also bring any notes that you took as you were working through these sites.