Korean War Unit Study with Men of the 65th

The Korean War is known as the “Forgotten War” because it was largely overshadowed by World War II and the Vietnam War.  It was fought from 1950 to 1953 between the UN Allies (US & South Korea) and the Communists (North Korea & China)...

 

Korean War

In the early twentieth century, Japan successfully occupied and then annexed the Korean peninsula.  Despite early attempts by Koreans to break away from Japan, Korean remained a colony of the Empire of Japan until the end of World War II.  At the end of World War II, Korea was taken from Japan and divided in two at the 38th parallel.  Similar to the division of Germany, the north, following the pattern Soviet forces followed in Eastern Europe, was strongly Communist.  The south, being under the influence of the United States, was largely capitalist.

In June of 1950, forces from North Korea invaded South Korea seeking to unify it under northern leadership.  The U.S. and other United Nations committed troops to “police action” to defuse the situation.  However, when General Douglas MacArthur crossed the Line of Demarcation, disobeying orders, the Chinese entered the war as well on behalf of the north.  There were few naval battles, so most of the war took place on land or in the air. Conditions for those fighting were extreme.  In July of 1953, a cease-fire was agreed to, but a formal peace treaty was never signed.

Borinqueneers

The U.S. Army’s 65th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Borinqueneers from Puerto Rico, were one of the fiercest regiments to fight in this forgotten war.  During one particularly nasty battle, things turned south for this decorated unit.  In 1951, General MacArthur said, “magnificent ability and courage in field operations. They are a credit to Puerto Rico, and I am proud to have them in my command.”  

However, by 1952, this regiment went from being heralded by General Douglas MacArthur for battlefield bravery to having ninety-one soldiers court martialed and jailed.  It was later determined that prejudice and racism led to these charges, and the men were pardoned.

Learn more about Vietnam & World War 2

Men of the 65th: The Borinqueneers of the Korean War (Talia Aikens-Nunez)

Honor and Fidelity. That is the motto of the 65th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Borinqueneers, the only Puerto Rican unit in the United States Army.

Since the regiment’s creation in 1899, the men of the 65th have proudly served the US through multiple wars, despite facing racial discrimination. Their courage, loyalty, and patriotism earned them hundreds of accolades, including the Congressional Medal of Honor in 2014.

But the honor and fidelity of the men of the 65th came into question in 1952, in the midst of the Korean War, when ninety-one Borinqueneers were arrested and tried for desertion and disobeying orders. How could this happen in one of the most distinguished and decorated units of the Army?

Watch

• Korean War: Fire & Ice
• M*A*S*H (parents should view with children under 14)

Make / Do

• Choose an oral history interview to watch and report on what you learned.
• Make a map of Korea, showing the major cities, battles, and line of demarcation.
• Should the US have intervened in Korea?  Write a 5-paragraph paper explaining your position.
• Find two political cartoons about the Korean War that depict different events or perspectives.
• Choose your own Korean adventure.
• Cook up some Budae Jjigae.
• Learn more about Borinqueneer History in the Encounter unit study.

Vocabulary

• Demilitarized Zone
• 38th Parallel
• Choison
• Inchon
• People's Republic of China
• Pusan
• Pyongyang
• Republic of Korea (ROK, South Korea)
• People's Republic of Korea (PRK, North Korea)
• Seoul
• Cold War
• United Nations
• Yalu River
• Vieques
• Kim Il-Sung
• Douglas MacArthur
• Syngman Rhee
• Matthew Ridgeway
• Boriqueneer
• Joseph Stalin

Think

• How has US history forgotten the Korean War?
• Why are some voices omitted in the telling and honoring of history?

Diversity Literature Studies Bundle

Bring modern history to life with living literature that represents several different groups!  Includes eight unit studies covering cultural stories from around the world. Each unit addresses a historic era from a new perspective, and these are told in living history format.  Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.

Product sample:   The Button Box

Includes:

• The Year of the Panda
• The Button Box
• Men of the 65th: Borinqueneers of the Korean War
• Killers of the Flower Moon
  • Indigenous People insert
• Genius Under the Table
• Anna Strong & the Culper Spies
• Inoyo of the Congo Forest
• The Forgotten Finca

Get the Bundle