A Forgotten Incident in a Forgotten War: The Military, Political, and Social Effects of the No Gun Ri Incident of the Korean War

In late July 1950, a company from the 2nd Battalion 7th Cavalry Regiment fired on a refugee caravan near the village of No Gun Ri, resulting in the deaths of many Korean civilians. The story of No Gun Ri was published by Associated Press reporters on September 30, 1999, prompting Army investigators within the Clinton Administration to spend nearly two years verifying the AP’s claims. While the Inspector General’s No Gun Ri Review confirmed that U.S. troops had killed Korean civilians, it was not a conclusive report. This thesis analyzes the No Gun Ri Incident and the Clinton Administration’s efforts to present the No Gun Ri Review’s findings and reconcile Korean-American relations. By examining the discourse involving military historians, journalists, and veterans, it argues that the No Gun Ri Review revealed the challenges of coping with the legacy of the Korean War and its ongoing influence on US-ROK relations.