The Korean Armstice Essay, Research Paper

The Korean Armistice speech was given by Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th president of the united states, on July 26, 1953. This speech was a means to end the fighting in Korea and return all of our troops home. This speech took alot of time and effort on Eisenhower’s part to prepare. However it is the idea that the war should end that he won his way into office, thereby calling for such action as to end this war. During this time, in the 1950’s, just about every family had a husband, father, son, or relative in the war, and sadly enough most families have experienced a loss. This war had taken it’s toll on the average american family. Those who weren’t slain, or mortally wounded, were probably in a POW camp. This war in general had weakened the morality of the entire country. It was a time for change, a time for action. This happended in the election of 1952, when Eisenhower had pledged to end the fighting in Korea. With that notion he defeated his running mate, Adlai Stevenson in that election. Eisenhower kept his word by delivering his speech, “The Korean Armistice” that stated his desire and stand on the Korean war. He wanted is to end like every other american. So he resumed the armistice negotiations in April 1953. Afterwards this ended with a truce agreement in July. This significance of this speech is that, imagine in this day and age that every man 16 years of age to 55 years of age was drafted to war that no one cared about. A war that lets say involved a country thousands of miles away that had no prior relations or obligations to us. Also needless to say most of our soldiers will die for an unworthy cause. If this were true and elections were coming up with a candidate promising the end of this war wouldn’t you vote for him? Needless to say this speech was almost exactly what the public wanted to hear, it was all true. This speech touched the heart of every widow and orphan. It uplifted the spirit and moral of the nation, and most of all put an end to this war of needlessness. Excluding all of this and touching on something else other than the affect of the speech itself. I’d like to talk about the speech itself. For starters, beyound the fact that the speech is written in extremly well format, it gets it’s point across in such an infor- -mative manner. Take the beginning for example, “With special feelings of sorrow-and of solemn gratitude-we think of those who were called to lay down their lives in that far-off land to prove once again that only courage and sacrifice can keep freedom alive

upon the earth.” This sensitivly calls out to the citizens of the country and tells us to take a moment to remember and honor those who left everything they had to fight for freedom in a far-off land. Of course when you’re the president you can’t just say that, “My fellow americans… don’t you want this stupid war to end! Don’t you want the lives of our good men to come home to us!”, which is why he said it the way he did. Another part of the speech Eisenhower so eliquently put was, “Soldiers, sailors, and airmen of sixteen different countries have stood as partners beside us throughout these long and bitter months. American’s thanks to each.” This section calls out to all the countries besides ourselves suffering in the same way as we. This is to make us remember of all the others besides us americans suffering. Eisenhower in this states we aren’t a selfish country only thinking of ourselves. One last section I want to point out is when Eisenhower restates a part of Lincoln’s second inaugural address, “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in . . . to do all which may achieve and cherish a just lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” This was brilliant on Eisenhower’s part to coin this part of Lincoln’s speech. It added an additional firmness and finish to the speech. This speech in all attributed to a high moral boost and end to a war that was won a while ago. It brought an end to all the suffering of the american people and the soldiers that endured through it all, and of course a honorable burial to those who died for the right of freedom on earth. Eisenhower effectivly spoke this all unto the american people. In my opinion of all of this, Eisenhower was just a normal american without a power-hungry goal to fight for a war that wasn’t really even neccessary to begin with, and furthermore drag it all out of proportion. No, he just wanted what ever- -yone else wanted… to end the war. Too many families had felt the pain of loosing a loved one. Too many findinf out that they are mortally wounded or perhaps in a POW camp being tortured for no reason. In all what I guess what I am trying to say is that what Eisenhower did wasn’t only right but justly called for. It’s almost not even a big deal in some respects. In conclusion, this speech was delivered to the suffering american family to ease their pain, but not only that but to assure an end to the conflict that was causing all the arguement in the country… the Korean War. He effectivly delivered the speech and backed it up by resuming the armistice negotiations, which was soon followed by a truce aggreement with Korea.