Framed by War

Through postcolonial and critical race theories, Susie Woo examines how the US used Korean women and children to put a benign and benevolent face on its military involvement in Korea and to bolster its image at home and abroad in the early decades of the Cold War. From her analysis of the Korean children’s choir to her discussion of war brides, Woo deftly details the ways in which race, gender, and sexuality were defined and challenged in the interactions between Korean civilians and US officials. This is a must-read addition to the growing literature on the cultural and social consequences of US militarism abroad. ~Ji-Yeon Yuh, author of Beyond the Shadow of Camptown: Korean Military Brides in America

Presents a skilled and nuanced history of US involvement in the Korean War in which the experiences and representations of Korean women and children take center stage. Susie Woo’s critical analysis of figures such as the Korean orphan, GI baby, adoptee, birth mother, prostitute, and bride illuminates the far-reaching role of intimacy in war, migration, and empire. Framed by War is essential reading for understanding the ways that the Cold War has indelibly transformed Korean and American lives. ~Catherine Ceniza Choy, author of Global Families: A History of Asian International Adoption in America