ePub Battle Scars: Gender and Sexuality in the American Civil War by From Catherine Clinton in History

Description

Vietnam POWs came home heroes; but twenty years earlier their predecessors returned from Korea to shame and suspicion. In the Korean War American prisoners were used in propaganda twice; first during the conflict; then at home. While in Chinese custody in North Korea; they were pressured to praise their treatment and criticize the war. When they came back; the Department of the Army and cooperative pundits said too many were weaklings who did not resist communist indoctrination or "brainwashing." Ex-prisoners were featured in a publicity campaign scolding the nation to raise tougher sons for the Cold War. This propaganda was based on feverish exaggerations that ignored the convoluted circumstances POWs were put in; which decisions in Washington helped create.