FLOL 6 The Korean War

The Korean War was often called The Forgotten War because it took place between World War II and The Vietnam War. Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President (1945-1953). The war cost an estimated $30 billion. This period (1950-1953) was considered the worst in the history of American race relations. The all black 24th Regiment was one of the first ground units sent to Korea. The 24th was outnumbered and outgunned by the North Korean troops; they were limited in their ability to halt the North Korean advance. Only 15% of the Army's total force in Korea was black, but blacks were court-martialed twice as frequently as whites and given more severe sentences. The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) sent Thurgood Marshall to investigate and found that black Officers rarely served as members of courts-martial. Black and white men on the Korean warfront found comfort in the crooning of country blues greats like Ray Charles and Hank Williams. One song, "I'm Gonna Dig Myself A Hole" was recorded by black artist, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup in 1951. This was one of a number of blues songs written from the black perspective. This war marked the beginning of military integration.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• military
• black soldiers
• integration
• segregation
• Korean War
• For Love of Liberty
• war