This inquiry leads students through an investigation of how the Korean War came to be known as the “forgotten war.” By investigating the compelling question, “Why was the Korean War ‘forgotten’?,” students investigate how a major global event could seem to have been forgotten by the American public and, subsequently, in history. The inquiry has students consider the progression of the “conflict” to a “war,” actions of those in power during Harry S. Truman’s US presidency, the views of veterans and those on the home front, and the portrayal of Korea in US history textbooks. This leads students to questions of how the Korean War differed from previous and subsequent military engagements in terms of the remote threat it posed to the American people and an underlying Cold War sentiment that evolved from anti-communism to containment. Teachers should also help students understand how the process of “forgetting” the Korean War reflects geopolitical events as well as domestic concerns.
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About the inquiry
Compelling Question
Why Was the Korean War “Forgotten”?
Staging Question
In October 1951, US News & World Report referred to the Korean War as the “Forgotten War.” Using the image bank of Korean War monuments and the original article, discuss the factors that influence whether or not a historical event is considered memorable.
How did the Korean conflict become a “war”?
Formative TasksCreate an annotated timeline of the major events that led to the Korean War.
SourcesSource A: Korean War Legacy Project’s Memory Bank timeline materials
Source B: Excerpt from Truman radio speech supporting UN action in Korea, September 1, 1950
Source C: Excerpts from Selling the Korean War, Steven Casey
Source D: “Milestones Along the Road to Mobilization,” Pathfinder News Magazine, January 10, 1951
Source E: Excerpt from Truman’s presidential news conference about Korea, July 13, 1950
What domestic concerns distracted Americans from the war?
Formative TasksWrite a paragraph that describes the domestic concerns that distracted Americans from the Korean conflict.
SourcesSources from SQ 1
Source A: Excerpts from In the Shadow of the Greatest Generation, Melinda L. Pash
Source B: Excerpts from “Truman’s Other War,” Paul G. Pierpaoli, Jr.
Did the soldiers forget?
Formative TasksWrite a claim supported by evidence about why soldiers believe the war was “forgotten.”
SourcesSources from SQs 1 and 2
Source A: Transcript of oral history interview, John Singhose
Source B: Transcript of oral history interview, James Warren
Source C: Transcript of oral history interview, Kelley Everett
How has US history forgotten the Korean War?
Formative TasksWrite an evidence-based claim or series of claims about how the Korean War has or has not been forgotten in US history.
SourcesStudents’ US History textbooks
Summative Performance Task
Argument: Why was the Korean War “forgotten”? Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, or essay) that discusses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical sources while acknowledging competing views.
Extension: Using claims from Supporting Question 4, propose a textbook revision reflecting research within the inquiry and soldiers’ perceptions of the war.
Taking Informed Action
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