Brave young American men climbed the rugged slopes of Korean mountains and fought in homesickness and desperate weariness for the sake of a people strange to them and for reasons they scarcely understood, even when they yielded up their lives. With such noble impulse and final sacrifice, let the past be forgot, except for what it teaches for the future.

Brave young American men climbed the rugged slopes of Korean mountains and fought in homesickness and desperate weariness for the sake of a people strange to them and for reasons they scarcely understood, even when they yielded up their lives. With such noble impulse and final sacrifice, let the past be forgot, except for what it teaches for the future.

📖 Pearl S. Buck

🌍 American  |  👨‍💼 Novelist

🎂 June 26, 1892  –  ⚰️ March 6, 1973
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This quote highlights the profound sense of sacrifice and compassion exhibited by young American soldiers during the Korean War. It evokes a powerful image of brave young men willingly facing treacherous terrains and harrowing conditions, driven by noble motives rather than clear understanding or personal gain. The imagery of climbing rugged mountains symbolizes their arduous journey, both physically and emotionally. Despite their unfamiliarity with the Korean people and circumstances, their actions reflect a universal human penchant for altruism—standing up for others often requires crossing borders of understanding, comfort, and sometimes, facing great personal danger. The phrase about yielding up their lives underscores the gravity of their sacrifice, reminiscent of the countless lives lost in the pursuit of ideals such as liberty, peace, and international solidarity. The reflection on forgetting the past outsiders when it is filled with pain, suggests that such history should serve as a lesson rather than a source of bitterness or division. Instead, it emphasizes hope for a future built on the humility to learn from the past's sacrifices and tragedies. The quote subtly calls for appreciation of those who lay down their lives for the greater good, reminding us that acts of nobility and sacrifice transcend individual understanding and influence the course of history and humanity's moral growth. It evokes a sense of gratitude and a responsibility to ensure that such sacrifices result in a better, more compassionate future for all.

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August 01, 2025

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