‘Write Your Life!’: British Prisoners of War in the Korean War (1950–1953) and Enforced Life Narratives

Abstract

This article explores the range of life writing produced by British prisoners of war during the Korean War (1950–3). By examining enforced diary-keeping, public confessions and self-criticism within prisoner of war camps ran by the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV), this article uses the example of British servicemen to demonstrate how British prisoners of war were constantly called upon to reflexively consider their role as servicemen and their reasons for being in Korea. Such self-reflection was even called for upon their return home when prisoners were interrogated by British authorities. Through examining the context and form of these under-used life narratives, this article suggests that the concept of ‘enforced narrative’ has a wide utility for theorists of life writing and calls for a reappraisal of individual volition within autobiographical writing.

Keywords:

• prisoner
• diary
• confession
• psychoanalysis

Acknowledgements

This work was kindly supported by the University of Warwick under the Chancellor's Scholarship scheme.

Thanks also go to delegates and fellow panellists at the Oxford Centre for Life Writing conference ‘War and Life Writing’ (9 November 2012) for their reflections on an earlier version of this article, particularly Dr Sara Haslam. My special thanks also go to Professor Carolyn Steedman and to the first reviewer of this piece for their helpful comments.