Korean War

[modge]

Why is the Korean War 'the Forgotten War'?

[jbeputnam]

It's often forgotten because it isn't really relevant to most of the world. Wars such as the Korean war are often overshadowed by things relevant to many countries, such as the First and Second World Wars.

[Waterwolf]

Yes, I'd imagine the Korean War has been overshadowed by Vietnam too.

[catman]

The role of British troops as the rearguard protecting the retreating US forces, after the Chinese People's Army had warned them not to advance on the Yalu River border, is the 'forgotten' event they are trying to highlight. And quite rightly, as the US commander had endangered everyone's lives.
The Korean War was a very important event in the history of the Cold War. It saw the first use of military force under the UN banner (although US co-ordinated). It was a significant change in the US policy of 'containing' communism, as now the USA was saying it would try to fight communism not just in Europe but anywhere in the world, however seemingly insignificant the place. It saw the first hand-to-hand combat between the troops of two of the three superpowers - USA and China (in the 1960s, China and the Soviet Union also met in conflict). It showed the boundaries which each side was prepared to respect fighting a conventional war in an age where atomic warfare was now a deadly reality. General MacArthur's preferred plan was a pre-emptive atomic strike on 15 major North Korean and Chinese cities to halt the Communist forces, but President Truman categorically ruled out such an approach. And for Britain it showed their loyalty to US Cold War doctrines and commitment to NATO.