Reflecting on the "Forgotten War."

Yesterday marked the 58th anniversary of the Korean War armistice. Some out there may not know that the Korean War never "officially" ended. A formal peace treaty was never signed. The armistice simply ended the fighting on July 27th, 1953. Technically, the Korean War, is still to this day an ongoing war. The United States still has soldiers stationed in Korea in case hostilities resume. Historically, the Korean War has come to be known as the "Forgotten War." This nickname is the result of the war's outcome. The Korean War ended in a brutal stalemate along the demilitarized zone (38th parallel) after four years of fighting between the North and South Koreans. U.S. intervention in Korea became necessary after the government's adoption of a policy of containment at the beginning of the Cold War. Our policy of containment simply stated that the United States would do all that it could diplomatically and militarily to stop the spread of communism after World War II. So on June 25th, 1950, when communist North Korea invaded the free, democratic south, the United States had an obligation to intervene on behalf of South Korea. Two days later, on June 27th, President Truman sent the first U.S. forces to Korea.  Years after leaving the presidency, Harry Truman was asked what his most difficult decision was as president. The answer may surprise some, but Truman's response was, sending U.S. troops to Korea. Truman asserted that sending U.S. soldiers into harm's way is the most difficult decision that any president can face. Although the Korean conflict has come to be known as the "Forgotten War," it is important that all Americans let our Korean War veterans know that their service to their country is anything but forgotten.