This paper is examining the so called No Gun Ri Massacre of 1950 at the beginning of the Korean War.
It takes a more profound look at the No Gun Ri Massacre by firstly analysing its background information, secondly the details of the incident, and thirdly the aftermath of the No Gun Ri Massacre: The reaction from the U.S. government and what impact it has left on two countries and their people.
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a massacre is defined as the act or an instance of killing a number of usually helpless or unresisting human beings under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty. Cambridge Dictionary also seems to endorse this idea, describing it as the killing of a large number of people, especially people who are not involved in any fighting or have no way of defending themselves. Although the precise definition of a massacre does not exist, we understand that two essential criteria must be fulfilled so that an incident can be universally accepted as a massacre.
For instance, the killings that took place in No Gun Ri, 1950, has undoubtedly been recognized as a massacre by the public, whose details will be thoroughly analyzed in the course of this report.
After the joint investigation of the U.S. Army and the ROK investigation team, the U.S. Department of the Army No Gun Ri Review Report (2001) was issued. Interestingly enough, the term “massacre” only appears twice during the entire 191-pages-long report, even these in forms of direct and indirect quotes. Usage of milder, neutral expressions, such as “killings” (18 times), “incident” (97 times), or “events” (112 times), replaces and often contradicts the incident’s conventional description as a massacre. If so, why would the U.S. government be unwilling to use the word “massacre”, purposely avoiding the word’s usage instead?
We will take a more profound look at the No Gun Ri Massacre by firstly analyzing its background information, secondly the details of the incident, and thirdly the aftermath of the No Gun Ri Massacre: The reaction from the U.S. government and what impact it has left on two countries and their people.
Table of Contents
- Incident and massacre: How is a massacre defined?
- Historical background & course of the war
- End of World War II
- No Gun Ri: Location
- Korean War: Where it all began
- 7th Cavalry Regiment
- Massacre
- Flight of the refugees
- U.S. airstrikes and killings on the railroad
- In the twin tunnels
- Casualties
- Revealing the truth: Aftermath of the massacre
- South Korean Petitions
- AP reports
- US South Korean investigations
- U.S. Department of the Army No Gun Ri Review Report and its fundamental problems
- Conclusion
- Future progressions
- Present-day No Gun Ri
Objectives and Key Themes
This seminar paper aims to thoroughly analyze the No Gun Ri Massacre, focusing on its historical context, the events of the massacre, and its aftermath. The analysis will examine the definition of a massacre, investigate the events leading up to the massacre, and explore the reactions of the U.S. government and its impact on both Korea and the United States.
- Definition of a massacre and its application to the No Gun Ri incident
- Historical background and context of the Korean War
- The events of the massacre, including the actions of the U.S. military
- The aftermath of the massacre, including investigations and reactions
- The impact of the No Gun Ri Massacre on both Korea and the United States
Chapter Summaries
The first chapter delves into the definition of a massacre, examining key criteria and applying them to the No Gun Ri incident. The second chapter explores the historical background of the Korean War, including the end of World War II, the division of Korea, and the initial stages of the Korean War, highlighting the U.S. military's unpreparedness and frustration. The third chapter focuses on the events of the massacre, describing the flight of refugees, the U.S. airstrikes, and the killings in the twin tunnels.
Keywords
The primary focus of this paper is on the No Gun Ri Massacre, examining the historical context, the actions of the U.S. military, and the aftermath of the events. The keywords that capture the essence of this work include the Korean War, massacre, refugees, U.S. military actions, investigation, and historical memory.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2019, The No Gun Ri Massacre. Forgotten War, Forgotten Nightmares, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/974684
