The Korean War Remembered

During the past three decades, the study of remembrance of wars has increasingly attracted the attention of American scholars, yet the public memory of the Korean conflict of 1950-1953 has escaped the scrutiny of historians and interest by the public. To many, Korea is the “forgotten war” – overshadowed by World War II and the “greatest generation.” Recently, as those who fought or endured the war pass from the scene, Americans have endeavored belatedly to honor and remember their deeds with memorials and museums. Meanwhile, a divided Korean DMZ remains one of the most dangerous borders in the world. This presentation will explore the ever-evolving public memory of a war that is not yet ended.

Michael J. Devine is a Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center during the summer of 2017 and will serve as a Senior Fulbright Lecturer to Korea throughout the 2017-2018 academic year. He is currently an adjunct professor of History at the University of Wyoming. During his forty year career in the administration of historical institutions, he held positions as director of the Harry S. Truman Library (2001-2014), director of the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming (1991-2001) and Illinois State Historian (1985-1991). He has twice serves as a Senior Fulbright Lecturer, Korea (1995) and Argentina (1983).  In 1998 he was the Houghton Freeman Professor of American History at the Johns Hopkins-Nanjing University Graduate Center in Nanjing, China. He received his MA and PhD in American History from Ohio State University.