HIST 3358

Why Forget the Korean War?

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2022-2023.

The Korean War (1950-1953) followed the Chinese Civil War (1945-1949) when the People's Republic of China promoted communist revolutions in Korea and Vietnam that were resisted by the United States. Often called "the forgotten war," the Korean War was a time of great suffering for the Korean people, involved the armies of several countries, and had a large influence not only on the subsequent history of Korea but also on the direction of the Cold War and on American politics, society, and military organization. This course will examine the war and why it became important for Americans to forget it. American memories of the war were swamped by the experience of the Vietnam War, but deeper than that was the troubling adjustment to the Cold War after the sense of accomplishment produced by the end of the Second World War. It was the beginning of the American perception of limitations on what the United States could and should do to promote its interests in global affairs.

When Offered Fall.

Breadth Requirement (GB)
Distribution Category (HA-AS, HST-AS)
Course Subfield (HAN)

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