|
Post by CaptainVideo on Apr 22, 2006 16:51:16 GMT -5
So, am I really the only person here that had absolutely no idea that South Korea participated in the Viet Nam War on the side of the Americans? I figured I'd wait a week or so after the information was presented in the show, but nobody else has spoken up........
|
|
|
Post by dramakaren on Apr 22, 2006 19:30:26 GMT -5
CV....I am embarrass to admit, I did not know that fact either. I'm ashamed for not knowing. I have a cousin that was in Viet Nam. I will ask him all about it at the next family event.
|
|
|
Post by cyuser on Apr 23, 2006 6:04:55 GMT -5
There's a horror movie about this ... Title of the movie is R-point
|
|
|
Post by Angel Mercy on Apr 23, 2006 6:18:32 GMT -5
So, am I really the only person here that had absolutely no idea that South Korea participated in the Viet Nam War on the side of the Americans? I figured I'd wait a week or so after the information was presented in the show, but nobody else has spoken up........ Hi Captainvideo I'm very surprised you didn't know. I am not sure of your age but I guess the Vietnam war was a "blip" in the US history which is better forgotten - no criticism intended. Anyway, I have found an abstract for you. The Beginning of Military Exchanges among the U.S., South Korea, and South Vietnam in the 1950s"
Haruka Matsuda, Fox International Fellow, Yale Center for International and Area Studies, Yale University; Ph. D. Candidate, Department of Area Studies, The University of Tokyo
The Republic of Korea (South Korea) engaged its army in the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1973. The number of participating South Korean soldiers was 30,000, the second largest number among "Free World" participants. Also, The People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) sent its 200 Air Force fighters secretly to help North Vietnam. Previous studies on the South Korea's involvement into the Vietnam War have referred to its initial proposal to commit itself to this war and its motivation to obtain economic and military support from the United States. In order to fully understand the South Korea's involvement in the Vietnam War, this paper will focus on the military exchanges among the U.S., South Korea, and South Vietnam in the 1950s by studying U.S. and Korean primary sources such as Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS), Documents of the National Security Council (microfilm), and Hankuk Uegyo Munso [Korean Diplomatic Correspondence, microfilm]. After the outbreak of the Korean War (1950-1953), the U.S. government became increasingly interested in Southeast Asia, discussing its direct involvement in the first Indochina War after the end of the Korean War. It had been invested Korean involvement since Syng-man Rhee had proposed to dispatch his army. The U.S. ended up its involvement of the U.S. with Korea in 1954 primary because France had disagreed with the participation of the two countries, and it also assumed that it would not be able to obtain domestic support. The U.S., however, did not rule out the future possibility of its involvement.
Actually, studies argued that Syng-man Rhee took a positive attitude toward dispatching the South Korean army. The U.S. government, however, subsequently examined the possibility of dispatching Korean troops to Indochina. It searched for "united actions" with other countries including South Korea in order to get approval from the Congress after the U.S. had declined Rhee's first suggestion to dispatch the Korean army. So, it is difficult to say that only Syng-man Rhee was positive about the prospects of sending his troops. The U.S. had attempted to dispatch the Korean army, but it never realized this goal in the 1950s. Although the U.S. had declined the proposals by Rhee, military relations between South Korea and South Vietnam began after that. For example, the two nations started inspections of each other's troops in 1954. Soon after South Vietnam's establishment in 1955, South Korea and South Vietnam established diplomatic relations with each other. In the 1950s, the military exchanges between two countries, which the U.S. mediated, had deepened, though it never became a military alliance. Such exchanges are also one factor for South Korean involvement into the Vietnam War. I hope this helps Angel Mercy - a citizen of the world and peace to everyone!
|
|
|
Post by gpaul on Apr 23, 2006 6:45:46 GMT -5
Thank-you Angel, I also did not know that Korea sent troops to Viet Nam, and I am of that generation that protested the war and worked hard to keep our loved ones from being drafted. Several people who were very dear to my heart did go to Viet Nam, and were not the same people when they came back.
My good friend is a world history teacher, his expertise and main interest is the history of war, and I asked him about Korea fighting, and he of course knew about it. It was not something that was known to the general population, just those who were more knowledgeable about the war. Thanks again for the article.
|
|
|
Post by Angel Mercy on Apr 23, 2006 13:10:23 GMT -5
You are welcome gpaul.
I am just curious, do you think the US, in particular the general public has overcome the Vietnam nightmare?
From my stand point, I think it is happening all over again...this time in the middel east (Iraq). Was the current Iraq war started for the right reason(s)? Was it ligitimate? ..... what a start to the 21st century!
Angel Mercy
PS. Don't get me wrong, I strongly support the all the military men and women serving in Iraq but was the Commander in Chief right?
|
|
JB
Junior Addict
Posts: 105
|
Post by JB on Apr 23, 2006 18:42:18 GMT -5
30 years from now Americans won't know that there were any other countries troops in Iraq either. I think that American history textbook writers simplify their subjects because they wouldn't want to confuse us with geography or something. I also think that most subjects are taught in isolation so in my high school texts that covered the war of 1812 they don't mention anything else that was going on the world. Which doesn't give you a full understanding of what was happening. In the case of the war of 1812 not knowing that the British were also busy fighting some guy named Napoleon puts the war of 1812 in a different light. The other problem is that in most countries the history textbooks are blatantly patriotic. I have Russian friends who swear that the Americans dropped the atom bomb because the Russian navy had wiped out the Japanese navy and we had to do something. This differs from anything that I have read. Personally I think that nobody should read a history textbook written in their own country. The final problem that other countries have in teaching history is that they have to cherry pick through one or two thousand years of history and decide what is important (or what makes your country look important). In the US at least we can still teach history all in one course and still more or less cover the whole history of the US.
|
|
|
Post by CaptainVideo on Apr 27, 2006 8:57:19 GMT -5
Thanks, Angel Mercy, that was quite informative. I am old enough to have watched the war on the evening news as a child, but I had no true comprehension of the events on the screen, except that they were in a different war than the TV shows (Combat, Rat Patrol). As far as overcoming the nightmare of Viet Nam, the public has certainly aged and by virtue of spawning a new generation, it has become ancient history; of course, if you talk to a veteran, it's a different story. Cyuser, thanks for the film info.
|
|
LTC William T Honjiyo ret
Guest
|
Post by LTC William T Honjiyo ret on Apr 28, 2006 15:22:02 GMT -5
;DIn 1966, I had the pleasure of being assigned as a laison officer to one of the ROK infantry battalion in Vietnam. They were from the Tiger Division and later from the White Horse Division in the Phang Rang area. I was a member of the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Seperate). They were an outstanding fighting group of warriors. Highly disciplined and fearless when engaging the enemy. The Viet Cong and NVA had great respect for them and avoided contact with them because of their reputation. They were just damned good troops.
|
|
|
Post by CaptainVideo on Apr 30, 2006 22:30:03 GMT -5
Yeah, I don't feel so ignorant now (at least on this subject). I spoke with a friend of mine on Friday, who happened to have been drafted in '69, and he first heard of South Korea's committment of troops when I told him about The Golden Apple. When I got to the part about Sen. Park's son (Jongkyu?) having contracted Agent Orange sickness after serving in the army, he proudly exclaimed, "They didn't have no Agent Orange in Korea, that was in Viet Nam!", to which I replied, "That's correct, which means that the only way he could have come in contact with it..........." Who says watching televsion is bad for ya? P.S.: Thank you, Lt. Col. Honjiyo (ret), for your personal account of history. Feel free to enlighten us anytime. (Having never served, I hope I deciphered your rank correctly).
|
|
|
Post by ukfan on May 1, 2006 9:04:17 GMT -5
Hi CaptainVideo I came across this site the other day and I thought you might be interested: cafe3.ktdom.com/vietvet/us/us.htmIt is a dedicated site about the South Korean's military involvement in Vietnam...this is possibly one of the most informative site I have ever come across about this subject. I hope you will find it informative too. PS. Hi Lt. Col Honjiyo (ret) greetings! I hope life has been kind to you after your Vietnam posting. uk fan
|
|
|
Post by CaptainVideo on May 3, 2006 0:26:02 GMT -5
Thanks for the link, uk fan; the far reach of this board still amazes me, as does the helpful nature of the folks you encounter here. Thanks again for the information.
|
|
Bill Honjiyo LTC USA ret
Guest
|
Post by Bill Honjiyo LTC USA ret on May 9, 2006 15:50:04 GMT -5
:'(Aloha from Hawaii
On the matter about the effect of Agent Orange, the Veterans Administration has recognized cancer, nerve damages to the hand and feet, and diabetes as compensatable injuries from Agent Orange. Also spinal defect on children of Vietnam veterans have been recognized; however not all cancer are covered by the VA. As of this date, I have a lot my friends who served with me on two seperate tours in Nam have fallen victim to cancer. Most recently, I have had a buddy of mines who shared the same foxhole with me died of brain cancer. He was not covered by the VA. Our Vietnam veteran in the drama has nerve damage to the spine which is new to me but is definitely an effect from agent orange. Also his son with ulcer on his legs is new to me, but can be possible because I know of a few Vietnam veterans with that ailment. In Vietnam they sprayed the hills and foliage to deny the enemy from concealment. When they got thru, the hills looked like it was winter. And we 'grunts' or infantry men walked thru it in pursuit of the enemy. Aigoo! Agent Orange is a terrible because of the disease it causes. LTC Bill Honjiyo USA (ret.)
|
|
|
Post by CaptainVideo on May 10, 2006 23:02:49 GMT -5
Aloha ("Book 'im, Danno!" I just had to do it) Yes, I saw a friend's brother-in-law, whom I knew separately from that friendship, become very ill and then I lost touch with them. When I regained contact, I heard that he had in fact died of his cancer which was as a result of Agent Orange exposure. Well, I wish you the best of luck; stress management is very important in maintaining a healthy immune system, and from your declared location, I'd say you have that handled fairly well. Eat well and keep the toxins you absorb to a minimum, you should be fine. On the Vitamin show a couple of weeks ago, they stated that the body produces between 400 and 10,000 cancer cells each day, but a healthy immune system prevents them from becoming tumors.......
|
|
|
Post by kathleen34 on May 11, 2006 22:09:41 GMT -5
The actor who plays the part does a very touching job ... you would think he really IS as sick as his role suggests. I join with the others who had no idea that South Korea was such a support to America throuout VietNam... and I was old enough to know better.
|
|