Why is the Korean War the 'Forgotten War'

A.� This controversial question was posed by modge. jbeputnam thought thre war was often forgotten because it wasn't really relevant to most of the world. Catman�says: '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.'< xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

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Q.� So how important is the Korean War

A.� I'll let Catman continue with his answer: The Korean War was an important event in the history of the Cold War. It saw the first use of military force under the UN banner. 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.

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It saw the first hand-to-hand combat between the troops of two of the three superpowers - USA and China. It showed that each side was prepared to respect fighting a conventional war in an age where atomic warfare had become a deadly reality.

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Q.� So The Bomb had been suggested

A.� Yes. General Douglas MacArthur, head of the Allied forces in Korea, favoured a pre-emptive atomic strike on 15 major North Korean and Chinese cities to halt the Communist forces. President Harry S Truman gave a definite no to that one.

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Q.� It was a dirty war, though

A.� A total of 33,651 American servicemen and women died in battle during the Korean War; 7,140 were taken prisoners of war. Some 81,000 British soldiers fought there and more than 1,000 were killed. Two Australian infantry battalions also fought in the war. Canada sent an infantry brigade, tanks and artillery, three destroyers and a squadron of transport aircraft. New Zealand sent an artillery regiment. In all, 16 nations under the United Nations flag, repelled the communists in the North and China from the South.

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Q.� I had no idea the casualties were so high.

A.� So maybe this war has become forgotten. Perhaps the world had become so battle-hardened after the Second World War that Korea was swept under the carpet.

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Q.� How and why did it start, then

A.� Korea was occupied by Japanese forces in the Second World War. After VJ Day, Korea was divided into American and Soviet occupation zones along the 38th Parallel.

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The northern part became a republic led by communist Kim Il Sung. On 25 June, 1950, North Korea, backed by the Chinese, invaded South Korea with 135,000 men. President Truman deployed the Seventh Fleet to waters off Taiwan to prevent the spread of the conflict in Korea to other Far East waters. The first American ground action of the war was on 5 July, when Task Force Smith (406 infantrymen and 134 artillerymen) engaged the advancing North Korean People's Army. The next month, a mobile army surgical hospital (MASH) arrived.

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Q.� What As in M*A*S*H on the TV I thought that was Vietnam.

A.� Oh no, the adventures of Hawkeye, Radar, Hotlips and friends was set in Korea, but screened as the Vietnam War was on.�

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Q.� So how did it all end

A.� It was stalemate. Truce talks started on 10 July, 1951. By November, both sides agreed on the 38th Parallel as the line of demarcation and military operations continued�- but less intensely. The armistice was signed by America, North Korea and China on 27 July, 1953. It ended the war, but failed to bring about a permanent peace.

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Q.� But is it forgotten

A.� On 21 April, Prince Andrew laid a wreath at a British monument on the site known as Gloster Valley at Solmar-ri in Paju, south of Seoul, to honour 800 British men killed in the fierce battle there 50 years before. Soldiers of the 1st Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment defended the hills above the valley against Chinese troops who were had joined forces with the communist North. The Queen also sent a message: 'Their sacrifices played a significant part in enabling South Korea to develop into the modern, advanced country. The veterans have much of which to be proud.' Prince Andrew was joined by 110 British war veterans. They will never forget. Nor should we.

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By Steve Cunningham