Dear Soldiers, It is Christmas and you are far from home, suffering from cold not knowing when you will die. The big shots are home enjoying themselves, eating good food, drinking good liquor, why should you be here risking you life for their profits? The Koreans and Chinese don’t want to be your enemies. Our enemies and yours are those who sent you here and destroyed your happiness. Soliders! Let’s join hands! You belong back home with those who love you and want you back, safe and sound. So we wish you…
A fascinating documentary about the American POWs to whom this made sense, and they refused to return home after the war. Instead they made homes in China. Contains forgotten footage of them speaking directly to Americans, often using this same rhetoric.
Lol the director of this made another film about his “disillusionment” with the PRC and the Tiananmen square “massacre”. Absolute :brainworms: but this looks really interesting
The guy basically saw what the cultural revolution and Deng were doing and wanted them to keep going, while the modern CPC mostly sees the cultural revolution as a mistake and Deng as having leaned too far right. Makes sense that he would move to America in the 90s.
The 1957 interview shown throughout, the particular segment shown around the 45 minute mark:
INTERVIEWER: Do you believe that the United States should recognize Red China?
HAWKINS: Personally, I think they should.
INTERVIEWER: Why?
HAWKINS: It’s a very big thing […] it’s like saying that there’s a big elephant in front of you and you say he’s not there, until he becomes powerful enough to step on you.
INTERVIEWER: Do you expect that they will become powerful enough to step on us?
HAWKINS: I have no doubt of that.
