The Bridges At Toko-Ri

[bradygirl_12]

This 1954 movie encapsulates the Korean War: William Holden's fighter pilot character is unhappy about being called up for Korea after serving in World War II. He'd been making headway in his civilian life like a lot of returned G.I.s and now was yanked back to fight in a war that wasn't exactly popular. What if his good luck was all used up in the

Comments

[jixel]

Love your description, far more compelling than the video trailer
Never saw this film,, am interested to know more now so will le googel

[bradygirl_12]

Thank you! I like writing blurbs. :)

Yeah, the trailer doesn't do justice to this film. There is an exciting sea rescue of downed pilot Brubaker (Holden) at the start of the film (Mickey Rooney really shines in this scene as the rescue pilot), and you do get the domino theory as to why the U.S. is there, but you also get the feeling that life in the States is moving along while the war is grinding along here in Southeast Asia.

The film really captures the mindset of a lot of those stuck fighting it. It was released only a year after the war ended on July 27, 1953, though technically both countries (North and South Korea) have been in a state of war since then, hence the DMZ and the American military presence for decades in the South.

[misstia]

I never saw this (I don't think I've seen any war films, that I can recall though it's early and I got too much heat yesterday). I think what you wrote about Ted Williams might actually be why the Korean War is 'forgotten' by so many (though why the government/history books tend to overlook it I have no idea as I recall in school we went from WWII to just the START of the Vietnam War).

Anyway (I shouldn't comment until I have 2 cups of coffee!) the fact that I bet MANY men served in WWII and then got sent to Korea a few years later made it almost 'too much' for them and they wanted to blot it out. The men who first served during Korea due to a young age would have grown up during WWII and they would have grown up with ration books, victory gardens, perhaps mom working in a factory taking dad's spot, etc.

Too much war is just exhausting on society. It might explain why the Vietnam Veterans were treated so atrociously.

[bradygirl_12]

Every time American wars are mentioned, they skip right over from World War II to Vietnam! The Vietnam War Memorial in Washington was dedicated years before the Korean War got a memorial.

The Korean War had the misfortune of starting only five years after World War II ended. Burn-out for both the troops and those on the homefront! And the Cold War wasn't quite as cut-and-dried as World War II had been. Lots more gray areas and people uneasy with what it took to fight it, not to mention a 'hot' war in a country most Americans had never heard of before.

There were no big parades for soldiers coming home from Korea, but at least they were respected unlike Vietnam War veterans in the next decade. My dad remembers coming home and getting a free haircut as soon as he got off the train. Just a little courtesy for a fighting man.