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Sex Among Allies
This study examines and illuminates how the lives of Korean prostitutes in the 1970s served as the invisible underpinnings to US-Korean military policies at the highest level.
240 pages, Paperback
First published August 21, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 7, 2012
Case studies are decidedly difficult to objectively review because one isn't just reviewing the accuracy of details and author neutrality but also the writing style and subject matter, as well. A boring case study, important as it may be, might be less entertaining than one of relatively low importance but that is easy to get into. This book is caught somewhere in between the two. Sex Among Allies is, nonetheless, an important study that deals with Korean prostitution around American military installations from the 50s to the late 80s, particularly with their change prompted by the "Nixon" Doctrine of 1971.
The premise that not only did prostitution thrive among American servicemembers and Korean women during this time but that it was sanctioned by the American military and the Korean government is alarming. As such, the illegal business were allegedly managed by local police and enforced by club owners. Negative impacts on society such as rampant spreading of venereal disease, racial tensions among white and black soldiers (and local business owners) and the social stigma of association was the women's to bear alone. The book's objectively is called into question by placing virtually all blame on both governments' efforts to promote prostitution as a means of recreation for soldiers; the women to sacrifice themselves to be "personal ambassadors" from Korea. Many of these objections were addressed in a mass cleanup effort in the early 1970s.
The story Professor Moon tells, however, is unmistakably genuine. The social stigma of such work forced many women, mostly from low educational backgrounds, to be stuck in a constant cycle of debt and abuse with little chance to better themselves. The book's position is clear: the unfortunate circumstances regarding the shantytowns that erected around U.S. bases places an even shame on all parties involved; those who set up shop and those who patroned the illict clubs. However dated the book may be, as many of these camps have since shut down or moved, the book's mere existence surely are evidence of change.
This book isn't exactly coffeebook reading material. However biased the view taken in the book may be, the history of such affairs and the arguments presented are well-sourced and difficult to fully refute. Take the book's stance with caution but embrace it for exposing a shameful past in hopes of not repeating it.
The premise that not only did prostitution thrive among American servicemembers and Korean women during this time but that it was sanctioned by the American military and the Korean government is alarming. As such, the illegal business were allegedly managed by local police and enforced by club owners. Negative impacts on society such as rampant spreading of venereal disease, racial tensions among white and black soldiers (and local business owners) and the social stigma of association was the women's to bear alone. The book's objectively is called into question by placing virtually all blame on both governments' efforts to promote prostitution as a means of recreation for soldiers; the women to sacrifice themselves to be "personal ambassadors" from Korea. Many of these objections were addressed in a mass cleanup effort in the early 1970s.
The story Professor Moon tells, however, is unmistakably genuine. The social stigma of such work forced many women, mostly from low educational backgrounds, to be stuck in a constant cycle of debt and abuse with little chance to better themselves. The book's position is clear: the unfortunate circumstances regarding the shantytowns that erected around U.S. bases places an even shame on all parties involved; those who set up shop and those who patroned the illict clubs. However dated the book may be, as many of these camps have since shut down or moved, the book's mere existence surely are evidence of change.
This book isn't exactly coffeebook reading material. However biased the view taken in the book may be, the history of such affairs and the arguments presented are well-sourced and difficult to fully refute. Take the book's stance with caution but embrace it for exposing a shameful past in hopes of not repeating it.
research
September 12, 2022A harrowing, well-researched account of the impact of the US military and camptowns in South Korea in the 1960s and 1970s.
⤑ research tag: in an effort to organise my shelves, I’m going to be labelling the books I’m using for study purposes as I tend to dip in and out of these. For further reading on the Korean War, check out this (incomplete list) of other reviews I’ve posted to Goodreads: The Korean War: A History, Beyond the Shadow of Camptown: Korean Military Brides in America, Let The Good Times Roll: Prostitution And The U.S. Military In Asia, Women Marines in the Korean War Era, The Bridge at No Gun Ri: A Hidden Nightmare from the Korean War, Sex Among Allies: Military Prostitution in U.S.-Korea Relations, Haunting the Korean Diaspora: Shame, Secrecy, and the Forgotten War, “A Defense Weapon Known to Be of Value”: Servicewomen of the Korean War Era, Name, Rank, and Serial Number: Exploiting Korean War POWs at Home and Abroad, The Korean War at Sixty: New Approaches to the Study of the Korean War, We Will Not Be Strangers: Korean War Letters between a M.A.S.H Surgeon and His Wife and When Hell Froze Over: The Memoir of a Korean War Combat Physician Who Spent 1010 Days in a Communist Prison Camp.
⤑ research tag: in an effort to organise my shelves, I’m going to be labelling the books I’m using for study purposes as I tend to dip in and out of these. For further reading on the Korean War, check out this (incomplete list) of other reviews I’ve posted to Goodreads: The Korean War: A History, Beyond the Shadow of Camptown: Korean Military Brides in America, Let The Good Times Roll: Prostitution And The U.S. Military In Asia, Women Marines in the Korean War Era, The Bridge at No Gun Ri: A Hidden Nightmare from the Korean War, Sex Among Allies: Military Prostitution in U.S.-Korea Relations, Haunting the Korean Diaspora: Shame, Secrecy, and the Forgotten War, “A Defense Weapon Known to Be of Value”: Servicewomen of the Korean War Era, Name, Rank, and Serial Number: Exploiting Korean War POWs at Home and Abroad, The Korean War at Sixty: New Approaches to the Study of the Korean War, We Will Not Be Strangers: Korean War Letters between a M.A.S.H Surgeon and His Wife and When Hell Froze Over: The Memoir of a Korean War Combat Physician Who Spent 1010 Days in a Communist Prison Camp.
July 24, 2008
I read this book for a political science class. It's interesting and shocking how the US government and military condone and even promote prostitution during wartime, at the expense of women in the countries where soldiers are stationed. Eye-opening.
April 16, 2024
It was recommended as the textbook to read on the subject of Korean women and the US forces stationed there. As a textbook it was thoroughly researched, forcefully argued and emphasised the terrible suffering of the women that degraded their self esteem and their own lives. These women had a terrible problem with venereal disease, there was also the social stigma attached to such a profession and the South Korean government essentially turned a blind eye to them.
Many South Korean women who had limited education and came from lower economic backgrounds have suffered terribly during the major wars that have torn the peninsula apart. The first was the occupation of Korea by the Japanese and then WW2. Many Korean women became 'comfort women' (un-consenting prostitutes) who were raped repeatedly by Japanese soldiers during WW2. Japan has not only never apologised for it, the government has gone on to flat out refused to even admit it ever happened. In this edition by Associated Professor Moon, she has acknowledged that some of the poorest and most vulnerable Korean women were once again taken advantage of by soldiers.
This time, it was the US soldiers stationed in South Korea who stayed in their country from the end of WW2. This time around, it may not have been rape, but where were the education options, the job skill training options or options for employment offered by the Korean government. Instead, prostitution became big business. The South Korean government once again let down these people and no-one seemed to care. Once again many of the poor and uneducated Korean women were used by a foreign power for their play thing. Disgusting, despicable and deplorable. Reading not for the faint hearted. 4 STARS.
Some other relevant readings include:
1. 'The Pacific War 1931 ~ 45' Saburo Ienaga. 1978. (Japan & the Far East).
2. 'The Korean War', Max Hastings. 1987.
3. 'The Rape of Nanking', Iris Chang. 1997. (Japan & China).
4. 'Sex among Allies', Associate Professor Moon. 1997.
5. 'Blowback: The Cost and Consequences of the American Empire', Johnson Chalmers. 2000.
6. 'Scorched Earth, Black Snow', Andrew Salmon. 2011.
7. 'Escape from Camp 14', Blaine Harden. 2012. (Nth Korea).
8. 'In Order to Live', Yeonmi Park. 2015. (Nth Korea).
Many South Korean women who had limited education and came from lower economic backgrounds have suffered terribly during the major wars that have torn the peninsula apart. The first was the occupation of Korea by the Japanese and then WW2. Many Korean women became 'comfort women' (un-consenting prostitutes) who were raped repeatedly by Japanese soldiers during WW2. Japan has not only never apologised for it, the government has gone on to flat out refused to even admit it ever happened. In this edition by Associated Professor Moon, she has acknowledged that some of the poorest and most vulnerable Korean women were once again taken advantage of by soldiers.
This time, it was the US soldiers stationed in South Korea who stayed in their country from the end of WW2. This time around, it may not have been rape, but where were the education options, the job skill training options or options for employment offered by the Korean government. Instead, prostitution became big business. The South Korean government once again let down these people and no-one seemed to care. Once again many of the poor and uneducated Korean women were used by a foreign power for their play thing. Disgusting, despicable and deplorable. Reading not for the faint hearted. 4 STARS.
Some other relevant readings include:
1. 'The Pacific War 1931 ~ 45' Saburo Ienaga. 1978. (Japan & the Far East).
2. 'The Korean War', Max Hastings. 1987.
3. 'The Rape of Nanking', Iris Chang. 1997. (Japan & China).
4. 'Sex among Allies', Associate Professor Moon. 1997.
5. 'Blowback: The Cost and Consequences of the American Empire', Johnson Chalmers. 2000.
6. 'Scorched Earth, Black Snow', Andrew Salmon. 2011.
7. 'Escape from Camp 14', Blaine Harden. 2012. (Nth Korea).
8. 'In Order to Live', Yeonmi Park. 2015. (Nth Korea).
August 2, 2021
Very strong, thoroughly researched study of the US/ROK military prostituion system in the 1970s, reviews everything from the origins of the system as a perpetuation of the Japanese "comfort women" system adapted to the particular circumstances of Korean division and war, to U.S. governance modalities, South Korea's regulation of the system as a principal method of foreign currency accumulation, and the racial dynamics between black and white soldiers and Korean sex workers, petty bourgeoisie, capital and the state.
Want to read
June 17, 2025Just saw Cynthia Enloe speak and she recommended this, so I guess I have no choice but to read it.
July 19, 2016
"Sex Among Allies: Military Prostitution in U.S.-Korea Relations" offers what the title says: a study into the relationship of prostitution and military in the US - South Korea relation, especially in the 70s, when a "clean-up" operation to "organize" the system was implemented around the US bases in South Korea. The book is a quite interesting book, that centers on the human aspect: relationships between women who worked as prostitutes, club owners and US soldiers and how this relates to both nations' relationship. Moon is trying to do here a difficult task: explain how something that seems so little for many is actually a very important part in the IR world and in the conflict studies field. And Moon presents very clear arguments that make the case for her theory: that if we forget the "little" and the agency people have we are forgetting a huge part of what makes conflicts evolve and change, and how these little things have actually huge ramifications. Moon relates the prostitution around US bases to black and white US soldiers's relationships and conflicts, the economy of both countries, the image of South Korea around the world, fear of an invasion from North Korea and much more and does a good job in justifying the ideas presented.
Moon's style is engaging and it brings the study to life in a clear and easy to understand manner. It becomes a little bit overstuffed and repetitive, but it can't be helped. It is a pity, though, that it keeps it all a little bit cold and doesn't include as much of the opinions of the women who worked as prostitutes as it could have. A more human touch would have deeply improved the book.
Necessary that more studies center in these topics; it offers a change of pace from the many books about conflict, international relations, and all that that we normally get.
7/10
Moon's style is engaging and it brings the study to life in a clear and easy to understand manner. It becomes a little bit overstuffed and repetitive, but it can't be helped. It is a pity, though, that it keeps it all a little bit cold and doesn't include as much of the opinions of the women who worked as prostitutes as it could have. A more human touch would have deeply improved the book.
Necessary that more studies center in these topics; it offers a change of pace from the many books about conflict, international relations, and all that that we normally get.
7/10
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews