A nation’s division is not just a line on its geographical map; it carves through the hearts of its people. Those who were united for centuries stand separated, forced to acknowledge the political division over the bond of relations, language, and culture. Pictures from the heartwarming reunion of separated Korean families in February of 2014 reflects the pain of that the generation who witnessed the divide and were separated from their loved ones. Newer generations identify themselves as North Koreans and South Koreans. Today, what remains is the heavily guarded Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea, and the two countries could not be more different from one another.
The Korean peninsula was a united territory under the Josean dynasty that ruled over the region for more than 500 years, starting from 1392 after the fall of the Gorveo dynasty. This rule came to an end in 1910, with the Japanese annexation of Korea. As Japan’s colony, Korea was under a cruel Japanese rule for 35 years (1910-1945), a time when Koreans struggled to preserve their culture. During the Japanese rule, the teaching of Korean history and language was not allowed in schools, people were asked to adopt Japanese names and use Japanese as their language. The Japanese even burned down many documents pertaining to Korea’s history. Farming was primarily directed towards fulfilling the demands of Japan. After Japan’s defeat in World War II, Koreans aspired to be a free nation but were little aware of what they were going to suffer next. The most pertinent questions regarding the split of the Korean peninsula are why did it happen, and who was responsible for it? Japan was on the verge of surrender in 1945, and the USSR was advancing ahead through Korea, crushing the Japanese army when the news of Japan’s surrender broke out. The US at that point did not have a base in Korea and feared full takeover of the peninsula by the Soviet forces. The absence of US troops was mainly due to a miscalculation of when Japan would surrender. To restrict the USSR from seizing the entire peninsula, the US suggested a temporary division of the Korean peninsula between the US and USSR. US army colonels Charles Bonesteel and Dean Rusk (the future US Secretary of State) were asked to review and suggest a dividing line on the Korean map. At that time, US troops were 500 miles away, while the Soviet troops were already present in Korea’s northern region. The two US army officers were given about thirty minutes to suggest a dividing line. They picked the naturally prominent thirty-eighth parallel to mark the division of the region. The colonels tried to ensure that the demarcation was prominent enough and Seoul was on their side. Since the suggestion was accepted by the USSR, it restricted the Soviet troops to the thirty-eighth parallel while US troops eventually gained dominance in the South. At this point, the divide was meant to be a provisional administration arrangement and Korea was to be brought back together under a new government. The differing political ideologies that existed within Korea were further polarized under the influence of the respective superpowers in charge of the region; the Soviets backed communism and the US favored capitalism. In 1947, the United Nations was to oversee the elections in both North and South to form one democratically elected government. There was a significant lack of trust and the planned election could never happen successfully. The elections were blocked in North by the Soviets, who instead supported communist leader Kim II Sung as the head of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The scenario wasn’t very different in the South, where Syngman Rhee was supported by the US as the leader of the Republic of Korea (ROK). Though both leaders believed in the reunification of Korea, their ideologies were not only different but also opposing. A year later, as a part of a UN agreement, both the US and Soviets were to withdraw their armies from the peninsula. Though it did happen, there was still a large presence in the form of advisors and diplomats from both the superpowers. The newly separated regions were often indulging in skirmishes across the dividing line but there were no formal attacks till 1950. In mid-1950, DPRK, backed by the Soviets, saw a chance to unite the entire peninsula under communist rule and launched an attack on ROK. The DPRK army in a span of three-four months engulfed the entire peninsula. However, as the UN intervened, troops from around 15 nations (with a majority from the US) came as reinforcement for South Korea. Matters complicated further when China backed DPRK. In 1953, fighting ended in an armistice, giving birth to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a heavily guarded border almost along the thirty-eighth parallel. Neither the planned moves by the superpowers nor the devastating Korean War could reunite Korea. Today, North Korea and South Korea are not only separated politically and geographically, but almost seven decades of separation has turned them into different worlds. South Korea is among the trillion-dollar economies while North’s population still survives on aid. The two nations have different citizen’s rights, laws and order, economies, societies, and daily life. But the history of thousands of years of Korea as a unified nation will always be a reminder of its arbitrary division.
Use the map below to answer the following question: This is a map showing the Korean Peninsula divided as it was after the end of World War II. The northern portion is shaded orange and is labeled North Korea. The southern portion is shaded blue and is labeled South Korea. Which of the following reasons best explains the division of the Korean peninsula after WWII as shown? A. The Chinese communist government had moved their troops to the 38th parallel in Korea during the war and taken control of the northern part of the country. B. The defeat of Japan led to the division with a Soviet backed communist government in the north and a U.S. backed democratic government the south. C. The South Koreans had fought on behalf of the Allies during WWII while the North Koreans had fought on behalf of the Axis powers. D. The United Nations Charter of 1945 called for the division of the country into a democratic North and a communist South.
Korea was split into North and South Korea when Japan was forced to surrender all of their colonies to the Soviets and the United States after losing WWII. The question is, how did the Japanese conquer Korea? And more importantly, why?
Korea split in two. (Photo Credits: Flickr) Kim Jong-un is probably the first name that comes to mind when you think about North Korea, whereas BTS (The Bangtan Boys) is likely the first iconic name that arises when thinking about South Korea. Let’s admit it, both of these names have polar effects on a majority of the population, but why is that the case? Why is there such a vast divide between North and South Korea? What caused the drift? Recommended Video for you: When Japan conquered KoreaThe story begins with the First Sino-Japanese war, which was fought between Japanese and Chinese forces for influence over Korea from 1894 to 1895. Interestingly, this war had three other names: in Japan, it was known as the ‘War of Jiawu’; in China, it was known as the ‘Japan-Qing War’; and in Korea, it was called the ‘Qing-Japan War’.
The Japanese and Chinese troops mid-battle. (Photo Credit : Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons) In 1870, Korea was China’s most substantial client state, abundant in coal and iron, and located opposite to the Japanese islands. This proximity and resource richness caught Japan’s interest. In 1875, it adopted revolutionary western technology and forced Korea to abandon its foreign relations with China. Japan helped modernize Korea, which cultivated some pro-Japanese reformers that tried to overthrow the Korean government. However, the king was rescued by Yuan Shikai, a Chinese general, who killed many Japanese legation guards in 1884. This enraged both Japan and China, but war was prevented by both countries signing the Li-Itō Convention, but the peace would not last long. A decade later, while Japan was busy expanding its kingdom and modernizing its programs, China was busy plotting revenge. Now, remember those pro-Japanese revolts? They were led by Kim Ok-Kyun, who was then murdered in Shanghai by the agents of none other than Yuan Shikai. War was declared on August 1, 1894 and by March of 1895, the Japanese troops had overthrown the Chinese forces. Finally, China had learned its lesson and recognized Korea as being independent of its assistance by signing the ‘Treaty of Shimonoseki’. World War ZeroJapan had effectively proven its significance to the entire world and continued expanding, but the Russian Empire (then ruled by Czar Nicholas II) boasted one of the largest territorial powers in the world. Despite this, every winter, Russia was forced to close its shipping operations from Vladivostok, and was therefore in search of another warm-water port to ensure the continuation of commerce during winter. Russia managed to lease Port Arthur in the Liaodong Peninsula from China, and needless to say, also saw potential in the Korean peninsula. The Japanese were concerned about Russia’s intentions and proposed a deal to the Russian Empire, ceding control over Manchuria, instead of Korea. However, the Russians declined this offer. War was all but inevitable. On February 8, 1904, the Japanese army attacked the Russian navy at Port Arthur. Ships sank, mines exploded and chaos reigned. The Siege of Port Arthur was the longest and most violent attack of the Russo-Japanese War.
Ships burning at Port Arthur. (Photo Credit : Torajirō Kasai/Wikimedia Commons) This conflict was followed by ‘The Battle of Liaoyang’, wars in Manchuria and Korea, and was finally concluded by ‘The Treaty of Portsmouth’. Japan won this war, but it stirred up turmoil in many other countries, partially sparking and fanning the flames that would ruin empires in World War I and World War II. For some historians, this is therefore considered World War 0. The Division Of KoreaAs all things do, balance came back full circle. After WWO (initiated and won by Japan), Japan was forced to give up all of its colonies after WWII, including Korea, to the victorious Allied countries. So, 35 years later, Korea was no longer under Japan’s control, but the freedom did not last long. The Soviet Union invaded Korea the very same day the Japanese left.
Soviet liberators marching along the streets of Korea. (Photo Credit : North Korean media/Wikimedia Commons) The Soviets occupied the North and the United States occupied the South, both regions generally separated by the 38th parallel. This helped divide the country into two equal halves running from east to west along the 38 degrees north. By the beginning of the Cold War, it was clearly impossible to unite the country again. In 1948, two radically different states were created: the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the North and the Republic of Korea in the South. Peace could not be maintained for long. On June 25th, 1950, North Korea invaded the South in an attempt to spread communism. The UN and US forces came to the aid of South Korea, pushing the invading forces back across the border. In October of 1950, those forces advanced to complete the war, but were stopped by Chinese troops who had come to their neighbor’s aid. The fighting finally came to an end on July 27, 1953, when an agreement to end hostilities was signed. However, the damage had already been done; more than 2 million people had been killed, and both countries began to evolve in their own very different directions. It is also important to note that the war was never officially declared over; the 38th parallel was simply recognized as a ‘demilitarized zone’. The AftermathToday, these two regions of the same peninsula might as well be two different countries. The regional language continues to be Korean (though the North speaks a more orthodox version), they observe the same holidays, love spicy food and respect their elders, the differences between the countries undoubtedly overshadow any commonality. North Korea is run by a dictatorship, and has been ruled by the Kim dynasty since 1948. The country is also 50 years behind the global standards of infrastructural development and has over one million men in the military (thanks to forced conscription). On the other hand, South Korea believes in democracy, freedom of speech and KOREAN POP! After the war, South Korea transformed itself from an agricultural economy into a business-leaning nation, with Seoul being ranked as the world’s ‘leading digital city’, while South Korea as a whole is considered ‘the tech capital of the world’.
Gwangan bridge in South Korea. (Photo Credits: Goodfreephotos) While relations between these two dynamic ends of the same country have been strained for years, do you think the first ‘inter-Korean summit’ might be able to make this old division less distinct? Only time will tell! Suggested ReadingWas this article helpful? |
Which of the following reasons best explains the division of the Korean Peninsula after WWII?
Postagens relacionadas
direito autoral © 2024 cemle Inc.
