War, sex and politics : the South African medical section in Korea, 1950-1953
Date
2001
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Publisher
Historical Association of South Africa
Abstract
South African participation in the Korean War was a complex matter: militari ly and in terms of domestic and foreign politics. Nonetheless South Africa place d an air force squadron as well as a token army element at the disposal of the United Nations Forces, including a small medical section. This study focuses in on the transience of life of about 900 South African soldiers during war. Hedonis m, searches for light-hearted pleasure and making the most of the moment have always accompanied war. the Korean War was no different. Despite South African racial politics, the South African Korea contingent suffered a STD rate of some 130 per thousand per year. Suid-Afrika se deelname aan die Koreaanse Oorlog was 'n komplekse saak - beide vanuit 'n militêre oogpunt as op die terrein van binne- en buitelandse beleid. Nogtans het die Unie 'n lugmageskader, sowel as 'n geringe leërelement, insluitende 'n klein mediese seksie, tot die beskikking van die Verenigde Nasies gestel. Die mediese seksie was nooit meer as sewe man sterk nie. Die studie let op bykans 900 jong Suid-Afrikaners in 'n vreemde land. Daar is sprake van die verganklikheid van die mens in 'n oorlogsituasie. Dit het nog altyd tot 'n mate van hedonisme gelei, 'n soeke na ligsinnige plesier en die geneigdheid om net vir die oomblik te leef.
Description
CITATION: Van der Waag, I. 2001. War, sex and politics : the South African medical section in Korea, 1950-1953. Historia, 46(1).
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Citation
War, sex and politics : the South African medical section in Korea, 1950-1953. Historia, 46(1).