Compare and Contrast America's feelings about the Korean and Vietnam wars.?

Answer 1

The time gap between the Korean War of 1950-1953 and WWII of 1941 (for the US) to 1945 was only five years. Many of the US soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Airmen (mostly pilots) that fought in WWII, ended up fighting in Korea only five years later. With the exception of the new jet fighters which replaced many of the WWII propeller driven airplanes, KOREA was fought with basically the same equipment and men as was used in WWII. Just to give the reader an idea, a 20 year old marine fighting on Iwo Jima in 1945, would be a 25 year old marine fighting in Korea in 1950. Those are both VERY YOUNG ages. Consequently, the Korean War became "overshadowed" by WWII...and thusly, has been nick-named the FORGOTTEN WAR. The Korean War has also fallen into the same lot as WWI. Both of these wars has been neglected by Hollywood movie script writers. But there may be a reason for this as both WWI & Korea are very simliar: Both wars are the ONLY wars that ended by an Armistice, one in 1918 and the other in 1953. Both wars were known for their stalemate "trench warfare." And both wars fought the world's FIRST AIR COMBAT WAR's; WWI was the FIRST AIRPLANE TO FIGHT AIRPLANE, and Korea was the FIRST JET TO FIGHT JET war. However Hollywood has certainly found it poplular to make films (movies) concerning WW2 and Vietnam. And these two wars have a lot in common. Both WW2 & Vietnam had an unlimited type of aircraft in them compared to previous conflicts, and both wars seemingly have a host of "Special Forces" type of soldiers that Hollywood script writers like to market. So, to answer the question comparing the Korean War to Vietnam, Hollywood movie makers seem to appear as a reflection of the American public. And Vietnam is "Platoon", "Apocalypse Now", "Flight of the Intruder", "We Were Soldiers Once...", etc. While Korea has "Pork Chop Hill", starring Gregory Peck. If the Korean War had started fifteen years after WWII, and then Vietnam fifteen years after that, then America's feelings could be better measured concerning these two wars. But the truth of the matter is, WWII is so close in time to the Korean War, and involving the SAME soldiers, marines, sailors and pilots that some people actually think they are part of the same war. It is an injustice, that WWII has greatly OVERSHADOWED the Korean War, making it truely..."The Forgotten War.