War Memorial

War Memorial...

Okay, so I'm playing a little catch up. These pictures are from the war memorial in Seoul. The Korean war claimed many lives on many sides. It was the first UN military engagement and included over 15 participant nations. There were nearly 300,000 South Korean casualites and 60,000 American soldiers killed or MIA. This is a fact that I am often reminding my students of whenever the express anti-American sentiments, that these Americans died "defending the freedom of people they had never met, in a nation they had never heard of". In all honesty, the Memorial is full of propoganda such is that statement which is inscribed above the names of the UN casualties. Inside, the memorial is huge and contains military artifacts from far back in history, from swords and spears to MIG's and M-60's. It is outside on the grounds to the left of the memorial that you find a junk yard of planes, tanks, missiles, and guns. It left us with a very weary feeling after and we were anxious to leave all of the implements of death. All in all, I feel this memorial was more about glorifying war and war technology, than it was honoring those whose lives had been claimed by it.