Book Description

The Korean War, 1950-1953, occupies a doubtful position in contemporary history and also in Australian military tradition. For Australia the Korean War meant having to make difficult choices about participation and the scale of our participation. This book explores the reasons why Korea has repeatedly been called 'the forgotten war'. Much of the book looks at the experiences of those who served in Korea. They are the end of a line that stretches back to the colonial era and the Maori wars. The book lays bare the motivation of these men as well as their experiences of combat, the landscape, other cultures, friend and enemy, and significantly, whether these servicemen saw their contribution to the Korean war as significant, as having meaning. The stories range in tone from patriotic to poignant and go some way towards restoring the Korean War's place in Australian history.