MUSIC AND CONFLICT:
FROM PATRIOTISM TO PROTEST
Korean War (1950-1953)
The Facts
Important Dates:
-
June 25, 1950: North Korea invades South Korea.
-
July 1950: America enters the war along with the United Nation Forces in support of South Korea.
-
Approximately 5,720,000 American troops were engaged in the war.
-
America suffered approximately 33,741 casualties.
-
WWII hero and legendary leader General Douglas MacArthur was the commander of the U.N. forces until unpopular comments criticizing U.S. policy caused his removal from command.
-
The 38th parallel was the scene of the heaviest fighting and became the permanent post-war border between North and South Korea.
-
Communist China was a major supporter of the North Korean war effort.
-
-
July 1953: Korean War ends with truce at Panmunjom in which the two sides remained separated.
Quotes or Battle Cries:
“In the simplest of terms, what we are doing in Korea is this: We are trying to prevent a third world war.” - Harry S. Truman, April 16, 1951
"It is part of the general pattern of misguided policy that our country is now geared to an arms economy which was bred in an artificially induced psychosis of war hysteria and nurtured upon an incessant propaganda of fear." - General Douglas McArthur in a speech to the Michigan legislature. Comments such as these would later cause General McArthur to be relived of duty.
“I fired him because he wouldn’t respect the authority of the President…I didn’t fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch, although he was, but that’s not against the laws for generals. If it was, half to three-quarters of them would be in jail.” - President Harry S. Truman when asked about his firing of General Douglas McArthur.
Where in the world . . .
Click the map icon to find out more about where this war took place and the nature of the battlefields.
Coming Together:
Click on each icon in the picture below to find out how music and war came together.
Songs and Lyrics of the War
Theme from M.A.S.H.
(Suicide is Painless)
by Johnny Mandel
One of the most recognizable songs associated with the Korean War came from a television show set in the Korean War -- M.A.S.H. The theme song to this long running show depicted scenes from Korea in the opening montage. The show theme was instrumental and many people never knew the actual name or lyrics to the song -- Suicide is Painless, written by Johnny Mandel.
God Please Protect America
by Jimmie Osborne
Songs for the Korean War were rare, but the songs that did emerge came from the country music genre suh as "God Protect America" by Jimmie Osborne. His lyrics, such as the verse below, depict the nation's lament over the war without actually protesting it.
Oh people let's start prayin', as we never prayed before
We need the hand of God, to lead us through this war
Give us vic'try in Korea, and save our boys so fine
God please protect America in this troubled time
Patriotism vs. Protest
Unlike other eras, songs duirng and about the Korean War were in transition. There were no outright protest songs, and songs in general about the war were rare when compared to other eras in which patiotism ruled the air waves. Songs during this war reflected more of the hardships and realities of war than in prior eras and primarily emerged out of the country music genre.