More than 100,000 Mexican and Mexican American soldiers participated in the Korean War (1950–53) under the flag of the United Nations and the command of the United States Armed Forces. Their presence took place due to various factors, including the enrollment of young Mexicans and Americans of Mexican descent who were living in the United States between the late 1940s and 1953. Other Mexicans crossed the border into the United States to join the military as volunteers. An agreement between Mexico and the United States on military service, dating from 1943, allowed Mexicans who entered the United States Armed Forces not to lose their Mexican nationality. Soldiers of Mexican origin fought on numerous fronts in Korea, and many received US medals recognizing their bravery. After the World War II, Mexico followed a policy of non-alignment and neutrality regarding the rivalry between the two superpowers of that time, the United States and the Soviet Union. Therefore, the Mexican government did not participate in the Korean War by providing military support; however, it sent humanitarian aid to South Korea, donating food and medicine.
Background
The United States’ demographic composition of the 1950s and the migration of Mexicans to that country explains the large number of soldiers of Mexican descent in the United States Armed Forces.
Mexicans in the United States and Mexican migration
Before 1848, the southwestern territory of the United States was part of Mexico. After the Mexican–American War (1846–1848), Mexico lost that portion of land, but many Mexicans remained. More than 80% of them lived in the states of California and Texas.
During and after the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), the emigration from Mexico to the United States increased. It is estimated that from 1910 to 1930 around a million Mexicans emigrated to the United States. Before the establishment of the United States Border Patrol and the system of entry quotas imposed by the US government (1924), no immigration paper or permit was required to enter the United States. Many of the migrants who crossed over with their families had American-born sons who were called to arms during World War II and the Korean War.
When there was a shortage of workers during World War II, the United States negotiated a series of agreements with Mexico focusing on the recruitment of Mexican labor to perform mainly agricultural jobs in its territory.[5] These agreements were called the Bracero Program, which permitted the legal crossing of approximately 4.5 million male workers from 1942 to 1964.[6] After their working contracts expired, many of them decided to join the United States Army as volunteers.
Bilateral Treaty regarding the military service
The participation of Mexicans in the Korean War was facilitated by the Agreement between Mexico and the United States Regarding Military Service by Nationals of Either Country Residing in the Other. Such agreement was placed in force through an exchange of diplomatic notes signed by Ezequiel Padilla, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, and Herbert S. Bursley, Chargé d'Affaires a. i. of the United States in Mexico. The agreement was effective from January 22, 1943 to October 28, 1952; it was not renewed after that date. The agreement was negotiated after Mexico declared war against Germany and the Axis countries and it allowed Mexicans recruited into the United States Army not to lose their Mexican citizenship. According to the Article 37 of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, being recruited by another country is a cause of loss of nationality. Thus, the agreement stipulated that " the nationals of either country resident within the territory of the other may be registered and inducted into the armed forces of the country of their residence on the same conditions as the nationals thereof unless otherwise provided herein." and without losing their nationality.
The Mexican Government and the Korean War
Even though Mexico joined the allied forces in World War II since May 1942, during the Cold War following WWII, the Mexican government decided to follow the principle of non-intervention, abstaining from aligning itself with any power and being neutral. Therefore, Mexico did not participate with military forces in the Korean war and has not participated in any other war since the end of World War II. However, the Mexican government provided humanitarian aid to South Korea in 1951 by donating food and medical supplies with a value of $350,000 dollars of the time.