Many people in the United States don't even know there was a war in Korea. It is often called “the forgotten war”. It occurred shortly after World War II and is often overshadowed by the Vietnam War. I interviewed my grandfather who was a soldier during the Korean War to gain a deeper understanding of what life was like during that time. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Lawrence Werner was born in December 1931 in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in the city as a first-generation American in his family. His father immigrated to the United States in his early twenties and moved to Chicago as it was a major center with many job opportunities. Lawrence did not grow up with much money as it was difficult for his father to find a job due to the Great Depression and its lasting effects on the economy. His mother was the typical housewife and didn't have a job. He faced a lot of hate during his childhood and adolescence for being German. It was especially tough during World War II as the main enemy of the war was Germany. After World War II, tension was growing between the United States and the Soviet Union. The United States feared that communism would soon take over the world and believed that Korea was one of the first steps in this process. A civil war broke out in Korea between the Soviet-backed North and the pro-Western South. This was the first military action of the Cold War. Harry Truman, the then president, said, “if we fail Korea, the Soviets will keep going and swallow up one [place] after another.” This fear led the United States to get involved and help protect South Korea. “The fight on the Korean Peninsula was a symbol of the global struggle between East and West, good and evil,” democracy versus communism. The United States began to draft young men from the United States to obtain troops to fight this war. My grandfather was drafted when he was almost 19 years old. The enlistment had a great impact on his family: “It was a very difficult time for my family as my older brother had also been drafted not long before me. My mother was obviously worried for our safety." Lawrence faced two very different opinions on the war within his own family. His mother was very angry about the United States entering the Korean War, "she was against the war and was angry at the government for getting involved and risking our lives for something she believed was no problem for the United States" . His father, however, had a different opinion on the war: “he was proud of us because we could serve our country and that we fought for the good of all. He loved being able to tell his friends that both of his sons had served in the war.” Lawrence wrote a letter to his brother not long after finding out he had been drafted. Lawrence prayed for his brother with the hope that if he couldn't return, then his brother could. He couldn't imagine that his mother had lost both sons in the war. At this time many people opposed the draft as they felt it was unfair and favored certain classes. People with money could often buy their way out or attend college to avoid being drafted. Others fled to Canada so they wouldn't have to risk their lives for the war. There were numerous protests where young people burned their draft cards to show their hatred for the system and their disagreement with the war. My grandfather had no chance of dropping out.