They Chose China by Shui-Bo Wang, National Film Board of Canada
In this feature documentary, Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Shuibo Wang (Sunrise Over Tiananmen Square) aims his camera at the astonishing story of 21 American soldiers who opted to stay in China after the Korean War ended in 1954. Back home in the United States, McCarthyism was at its height and many Americans believed these men were brainwashed by Chinese communists. But what really happened? Using never-before-seen footage from the Chinese camps and interviews with former PoWs and their families, They Chose China tells the fascinating stories of these forgotten American dissidents.
To this day, I have vivid memories of this event, even though I was a teenager in a small town in SouthWest Missouri. My opinion was the same as everone in this area of America. These men were traitors and should be hanged or shot upon their return to the States
After watching this film, I've had a change of heart. It was a dificult decision, but I now believe that most of the men were sincere, and indeed, they were most likely correct in their frimly held views against the war.
Of course, I have arrived at this decision after many decades have passed, therefore, in hindsight, I now have a better understanding of the war, the politics at the time, and the anti-war views of these men.
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