WAR OF PRISONERS.

The article focuses on the lesser-known second half of the Korean War, which shifted from a territorial conflict to a prolonged struggle over the repatriation and asylum of prisoners of war (POWs). It details how U.S. and Chinese leaders censored public discourse to conceal that the war's extension was largely due to disagreements over the voluntary repatriation of approximately 21,000 Chinese POWs, many of whom refused to return to Communist China and instead went to Taiwan. This prisoner issue prolonged the war by over a year, resulting in significant additional casualties and political ramifications, including a propaganda victory for Chiang Kai-shek's Taiwan regime. The article also highlights the enduring historical amnesia and political sensitivities surrounding the POW issue in China, the Koreas, Taiwan, and the United States.