Canada Remembers Times - 2008 Edition - Page 3

In the Land of the Morning Calm

With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Canada decided to serve along with 16 other United Nations countries.

After Japan's empire in Asia was dissolved at the end of the Second World War, the Soviet Union moved into the northern portion of Korea and helped establish a Communist government. Meanwhile, the United States helped establish a democratic government in the South. The Americans and Soviets eventually withdrew but the North/South division caused civil tensions. On June 25, 1950, North Korean troops crossed the South Korean border and triggered an international crisis in the place that had traditionally been known as the "Land of the Morning Calm." The United Nations decided to send an international force to intervene and restore peace. Canada agreed to be part of a Commonwealth force in Korea. More than 25,000 Canadians served during the Korean War and 516 died.

2008 marks the 55th anniversary of the signing of the truce in Panmunjom that ended active fighting on July 27, 1953. We stop to honour significant military anniversaries like this one as a way to show that we recognize the importance of what the Canadians who served in these efforts have done. It may have been many years since the fighting ended, but Canadians who gave so much in Korea are remembered.

A Hero Remembers

Veterans are our direct link with important chapters in our country's history. Their stories and reflections are important snapshots of significant times and places. Noel Knockwood, an Aboriginal-Canadian who served in the Korean War, shares his thoughts about Remembrance Day:

"Remembrance Day, to me is a very important event. At one time I paid very little attention to it because I thought it was just another parade … And one day my brother, Henry, called me aside and said 'Listen, you got medals up there somewhere in the house, put them on, they're yours, you earned them, take part in those parades and be proud that you're a Veteran. Don't stay at home on the 11th of November, go to the Cenotaph, go and say a prayer for your friends that died, and for others that sacrificed their lives'. And I decided to listen to my brother and from that time on I take a very active role in all the events and parades and any kind of a celebration that goes on amongst native people. I'm there."

The "Heroes Remember" section of the Veterans Affairs Canada Web site has a wide variety of video interviews with Veterans you can "meet". Go to www.veterans.gc.ca today for first-hand stories about many interesting topics and people.

Did You Know?

Death and destruction are defining features of war, and so it is comforting when the people serving can find and enjoy moments of compassion and normalcy. This spirit showed itself in some unique ways during the Korean War. During the Christmas of 1952, opposing Canadian and Chinese troops slipped across a sector of the front line during the night and left food and small gifts on the barbed wire that separated them. After the holiday was over, however, life on the front returned to normal and the fighting began again with the two sides exchanging gunfire instead of gifts.

Stealth Patrols

Imagine being a Canadian soldier in the Korean War and spending months living outdoors on the front lines. Korea is in the Far East but its climate is far from tropical. The winters there are cold!

As the Korean War progressed, broad areas of the front settled down into lines of opposing trenches. Canadian troops were often sent out on dangerous patrols to gather information on enemy positions. They also took prisoners for questioning. In a typical raid, the soldiers waited for nightfall and crossed their own defensive positions through a gap in their barbed wire and mine fields. They then stealthily made their way to the enemy lines and sometimes called in fire on the defensive positions they would see. Often the enemy positions were a maze of trenches connected by underground tunnels that were confusing and confining places to fight. Upon gathering what information they could, the soldiers then hurried back to the relative safety of their own lines.

Entertaining the Troops

Canadians at home have supported the men and women serving overseas in many ways over the years to let them know they are not forgotten. During the Korean War, popular Canadian performers like country music star Hank Snow and the comedy team of Wayne and Shuster travelled halfway around the world to entertain the troops. Sometimes as many as 5,000 troops sat on a hillside, even in the rain, enjoying the stage show- a welcome taste of "regular life" back home.

This tradition continues today in Afghanistan. Canadian entertainers like Rick Mercer, Maritza, Julian Austin, the Wilkinsons and Terry Kelly, as well as athletes like Guy Lafleur have gone overseas to visit with the troops. Even the Stanley Cup has made the long journey to be seen by the many hockey fans who are serving with the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan.

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