At midnight on January 24; 1954; the last step was taken in the armistice to end the war in Korea. That night; the neutral Indian guards who had overseen the prisoner of war repatriation process abandoned their posts; leaving their charges to make their own decisions. The vast majority of men allowed to choose a new nation were Chinese and North Koreans who elected the path of freedom. There were smaller groups hoping that the communist bloc would give them a better life; among these men were twenty-one American soldiers and prisoners of war. “We Fight for Peace†tells their story. During the four months prior to the armistice; news had spread throughout the United States and the world that a group of twenty-three Americans was refusing repatriation. In the interim; two of the twenty-three soldiers had escaped. Once back behind American lines; the first voluntary repatriate; Edward Dickenson; was given celebrity treatment with the hope that this positive experience would entice the others to return to the United States. Just one more American POW; Claude Batchelor;chose repatriation. In the United States; Dickenson; who was being treated at Walter Reed Medical Center; was placed under arrest and charged with a variety of collaboration related crimes. Weeks later; Batchelor was similarly arrested. Over the course of the coming months; Dickenson and Batchelor; against the backdrop of Joseph McCarthy’s Army Hearings; were prosecuted; convicted; and imprisoned. In the ensuing years; Dickenson and Batchelor; both of whom had voluntarily returned to the United States; watched from their jail cells as most of the remaining twenty-one Americans trickled back home; protected by the dishonorable discharges they received. Exhaustively researched and meticulously documented; “We Fight for Peace†is the first comprehensive scholarly work on this controversial event in international history.
#3105223 in Books Texas AnM University Press 2010-01-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.50 x 1.00 x 6.40l; 1.35 #File Name: 1603441727256 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. As one who had done a considerable amount of research ...By jdssrAs one who had done a considerable amount of research on Texas veterans of the Civil War; I found Dr. Grear's book not only covered the main topic well; but accurately. In the early stages of the war; Texans who had migrated to the state wanted to protect their family homes in the eastern states of their origin. As the war dragged into 1863; many of these men (not all by any means) wanted to return to Texas. Some because they were sick; wounded; or had been paroled from Federal prisons. Most returned because Texas was under threat of invasion and reenlisted in new units specified to protect their state. Their current homes and families were being threatened; not to mention many families were indigent. Dr. Grear breaks down the reasons of why men served or did not want to serve by regions of the state; nationalities; and those opposed to secession.16 of 38 people found the following review helpful. Why Texans Fought in the Civil WarBy Robin P. StaggThis is one of the most poorly written books I have struggled through in years. If it was the author's PhD work; his academic review committee must have been easily satisfied. If not; then his publisher's editors are illiterate. Among other sins; he seems to be bent on padding his page count with endless repetitions. Additionally; his agenda; which appears to be the denigration of the Southern White Male; is not even subtle. Far better historical commentary abounds. This author certainly does nothing to enhance the reputation of the History Department at Prairie View AM (his present academic berth).
