We Fight for Peace

D. McKnight Brian

Description

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.

Sujets

• Histoire
• USA
• United States of America
• Prisoner of war
• Korean War
• History of the Americas
• American Civil War
• États-Unis
• China
• Guerre de Sécession

Informations

• Publié par: The Kent State University Press
• Date de parution: 03 novembre 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781612778648
• Langue: English

Extrait

“We Fight for Peace”
“We Fight for Peace”
Twenty-three American Soldiers, Prisoners of War, and “Turncoats” in the Korean War

B RIAN D. M C K NIGHT
The Kent State University Press
Kent, Ohio
Dedicated to Lorenzo “Ren” Crowell, 1943–2014
© 2014 by The Kent State University Press, Kent, Ohio 44242
All rights reserved
Library of Congress Catalog Number 2013043350
ISBN 978-1-60635-207-6
Manufactured in the United States of America
With regard to the images in the collection of CEGES-SOMA, the author has, in spite of all actions taken, not been able to trace the origin of some of the images. Should the rightful claimants recognize themselves in these photographs they should contact the Kent State University Press, 1118 University Library, Kent, Ohio 44242.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
McKnight, Brian Dallas.
We fight for peace : twenty-three American soldiers, prisoners of war, and “turncoats” in the Korean War / Brian D. McKnight.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-60635-207-6 (hardcover) ∞
1. Korean War, 1950–1953—Repatriation. 2. Korean War, 1950–1953—Prisoners and prisons. 3. Defectors—United States—Biography. 4. Defectors—China—Biography. 5. Prisoners of war—United States—Biography. 6. Prisoners of war—China—Biography. 7. Soldiers—United States—Biography. 8. Korean War, 1950–1953—Biography. 9. Americans—China—Biography. I. Title. II. Title: Twenty-three American soldiers, prisoners of war, and “turncoats” in the Korean War.
DS921.2.M35 2014
951.904'27—dc23
2013043350
18   17   16   15   14      5   4   3   2   1
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1 Beginnings and Backgrounds
2 The Short Careers of Soldiers
3 Captivity and Compromise
4 Winning Captive Hearts
5 Politicians and Their Careers
6 The Shocking Refusal: July 27–October 20, 1953
7 The Returns … Ed Dickenson—October 20–December 31, 1953
8 Dickenson’s Reckoning
9 Batchelor’s Reckoning
10 Men Jailed … and Walking Free, 1954–1957
11 Outcasts in Life and Death since 1958
12 Lessons, Learned and Ignored
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgments
When I was an undergraduate, I lived a substantial distance from school. As a result, I spent much time on campus between classes. One of the things I did to pass the time was to go to the library and read old newspapers on microfilm. I found the stories fascinating, especially those that seemed so relevant contemporarily but had been lost to history as the world changed. During one of these reading sessions, I found the story of Ed Dickenson, and from there I uncovered the stories of the rest of those American soldiers who refused repatriation at the end of the Korean Conflict.
As an historian whose primary area of research is the American Civil War, embarking on such a challenging journey as examining one of the most controversial and contentious eras of the twentieth century is a fearful prospect. Since discovering the topic and identifying its importance years ago, I have struggled with issues from laying out the story to writing a mass biography and addressing the finer intellectual nuances of the tale, while developing my own personal seminar in modern Chinese history in an attempt to better understand the era. In order to answer these and other questions, I have burdened some very good people along the way. Because they are all friends, I know my weak attempt at thanking them will be greatly appreciated.
My friend Bill Carter was perhaps my greatest advocate. He guided me through my first two books, helping me produce works that I think he would have been proud of; I began work on this one within a week of his death. It is the first book I have written without his wise counsel and it means a great deal to me as a result. As an old underdog himself, Bill always loved the topic and chastised me for putting it off. While his critiques often left me puzzled, I can now fully see his influence on my intellectual development.
Another old friend of mine and Bill’s, Fred Smith, contributed mightily to the story that follows. I initially asked Fred to co-author this with me, but doctoral studies prevented his participation. However, he remained my great friend throughout the process and helped shape the narrative stylistically and analytically. Additionally, Fred spent considerable time poring over newspapers in the library at the University of Southern Mississippi and in Hartford, Connecticut, looking for information that would eventually help me tell this story.
Although old friends have cast long shadows over this book, new friends have also had an influence. Randy Mills of Oakland City University initially undertook a study of Arlie Pate, but his other projects interrupted. When approached for basic information about the group, Randy eagerly provided copies and encouragement. Throughout the process, he has remained interested in the progress of the project and has freely given his support and suggestions. Sheila Miyoshi Jager of Oberlin College provided me easy access to her copies of the court martial records of Edward Dickenson and Claude Batchelor. Ed Dickenson’s granddaughter, Jennifer Dickenson, was interested in the story from its earliest days and I enjoyed meeting and corresponding with her throughout the project. Lewis Carlson, who has published much on the soldiers’ experiences during the Korean War, kindly sent me an unpublished copy of Clarence Adams’ memoir months before it was scheduled to appear in print. His gesture allowed me to finish parts of the manuscript well ahead of my own expectations. Jodi Foor and Rich Boylan at National Archives II, College Park, Maryland, provided important guidance and research assistance. Paul Edwards and Gregg Edwards of Graceland University’s Center for the Study of the Korean War, were very gracious hosts during my brief research visit to Independence, Missouri. My friend and noted scholar of African American religion, Edward Robinson of Abilene Christian University, spent several hours with newspapers searching out elusive answers. Rachel Lewis, formerly of the University of Akron, similarly agreed to help my project by gathering some local newspaper information on two of the nonrepatriates that was otherwise unavailable to me. Ren Crowell, one of my former professors, has exhibited a steadfast interest in the project and has helped place it within the context of modern military history studies. Ron Suleski, of Harvard University’s Fairbank Center, offered information about Morris Wills and put me in contact with Ezra Vogel, who supervised Wills during his time on the center’s staff. Sidney Rittenberg, who spent most of his life in Mao’s China, answered several important questions and gave valuable insights into the motives of many of the men. Finally, physicians and friends Allen Mullins and Melanie Skeen provided answers to medical and nutritional questions.
Partway through the construction of this story, I relocated from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, near the hometown of Ed Dickenson, to Angelo State University, in Texas, near the hometown of Claude Batchelor. At Angelo State, the late Guogiang “Joe” Zheng, an accomplished scholar of modern China, answered countless questions about the intricacies of Chinese history and culture thereby broadening my historical and philosophical interpretations. Arnoldo DeLeon, a leading scholar in Tejano history and an excellent editor, must be thanked for his assistance with several chapters. Robert Stiles served as the department’s graduate assistant for the 2006–2007 academic year and helped identify and list the more than 3,300 repatriated American prisoners. Perhaps the most important research assistant on the campus of any regional university is the interlibrary loan librarian. At Angelo State, Sharon Weber works tirelessly to provide people like me with those things necessary for us to produce scholarly work.
My parents probably wonder why their son would choose to devote years of his life to studying this group of men, but they have always been supportive of my endeavors and appreciate the work I do. Similarly, my wife has aided in my development and continues to make the sacrifices that allow me to pursue my many projects. Although she has no real interest in history, Pam does understand my love for the subject and has put her fingerprints on each piece of scholarship I have produced, including coming up with the title of this book. Although I am not sure how she has contributed to this project, I must also thank my daughter, Devin. She has made me see the world in a new light, and has made me a better person along the way.
I always thank my students for their contributions to my work. They are young, curious, motivated, and impressed by those of us who stand before them on a daily basis. Of them, a handful stands out as being truly exceptional intellectually, academically, and personally. UVa-Wise students Kaylen Baker, Julie Yates, Murphy Mullins, Eric Vanover, and Matt Wright have provided me with much support and encouragement through their intellectual curiosity and attentiveness. At Angelo State, I also found an exceptional lot. They include Zach Dowdle, John Graham, Melissa Harderlie, Sterling Brown, Jesse Burnham, Charles Bowen, and Jennifer Dickens.
Finally, to the families and friends of my twenty-three subjects, most of whom are now deceased, I say with great seriousness: Do not dismiss them or be ashamed of their actions. Although they took what seems an illogical step more than fifty years ago, they did so as a result of extreme circumstances in an environment where a single compromise could easily result in a man being forced down an irreversible path.
Brian D. McKnight
Introduction
Shortly after midnight on October 21, 1953, Edward Dickenson, an American soldier in Korea, escaped from his captors. He had been a prisoner of the Chinese for nearly three years; the n