Korea The Canadian Contribution
The Korean War began on 25 June
1950, when thousands of North Korean infantrymen, supported by tanks and
aircraft, crossed the 38th Parallel and invaded South Korea. The United
Nations (UN) Security Council voted to defend South Korea, and the
Canadian government, headed by Prime Minister Louis St-Laurent, decided
to commit a military force. In the end, fewer Canadians would serve in
this war than in the two World Wars. However, Canada's contribution to
the U.N. forces would be surpassed only by the United States and Great
Britain. More than 26,000 Canadians participated during the war, and
additional troops assumed peacekeeping roles after the Korea Armistice
Agreement was signed.
Some of the Aboriginals who volunteered to serve in Korea were
members of the active force of the Canadian Army, and therefore already
trained and accustomed to military service. Additionally, many
volunteers were veterans of an earlier war. Clement and Patrick Arcand
from the Muskeg Lake Cree Band in Saskatchewan are two such examples.
During the Second World War, Clement, Patrick and all eight of their
brothers served in the armed forces. Moreover, their father, Louis, a
veteran of the First World War, participated as a member of the Veterans
Guard. In early 1952, Clement and Patrick enlisted in the CASF. Both
privates, they joined the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps, the branch
in which they had served during the previous war. As drivers, they
helped deliver ammunition, rations and other supplies to the U.N. troops
in the Far East. Another veteran of the Second World War who went to
Korea was Tommy Prince.
In the same way, Métis communities and families continued to send or
take the younger community members into town to enlist, and seeking for
themselves to re-enlist. Even though the Métis nations had received some
aid, and the Métis Setttlements had been set up, still the vast majority
of Métis scraped a marginal living in unorganized poverty and many of
the young men were glad to have an opportunity to enlist in the Special
Force.
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