Speaking at the 60th anniversary which marked the end of hostilities in Korea, Obama praised Korean War veterans for their efforts to uphold the values of democracy and freedom.
In describing the war in Korea as a forgotten one, and making the case for every Korean veteran to be treated better, the President said, “Unlike the Second World War, Korea did not galvanize our country. These veterans did not return to parades. Unlike Vietnam, Korea did not tear at our country. These veterans did not return to protests. Among many Americans, tired of war, there was, it seemed, a desire to forget, to move on.”
He also went on to describe the hardships that the Korean veterans faced in terms of difficult terrain and brutal weather as well as the arrival of the Chinese who easily outnumbered them.
In also praising the veterans for preventing North Korea from taking over South Korea, Obama said that despite the views of historians at the time, Korea was a still a victory for the United States. The evidence of that was grounded in the fact that South Korea is now a thriving democracy.
The President also went on to say that this war was the first success during the Cold War era – a place ‘where freedom held its ground and free peoples refused to yield’.
Technically speaking, historians say that the war is still ongoing because the two sides have not yet agreed on a peace treaty even after six decades since the Korean War. It is also the reason why North Korea also celebrated the 60th anniversary of the armistice with a military parade which featured tanks, missiles and fighter jets.