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happy national liberation day Korea!!!!!
#광복절 
marks the anniversary of Korea being freed from Japanese occupation, during which the Japanese government & military carried out horrifying war crimes and strategically tried to erase Korean culture.
CW: violence, rape, war
#광복절 marks the anniversary of Korea being freed from Japanese occupation, during which the Japanese government & military carried out horrifying war crimes and strategically tried to erase Korean culture. CW: violence, rape, war
On August 15th, 1945, Japan officially surrendered to Allied forces, ending its 35-year occupation of Korea.
During the Japanese occupation, Koreans were starved, forced into labor, forced into sex slavery, experimented on, and massacred.
During the Japanese occupation, Koreans were starved, forced into labor, forced into sex slavery, experimented on, and massacred.
People were deported to work in Japan, where they were (and continue to be) treated as second class citizens.
Members of the royal family were assassinated or forced to live in Japan where they were assigned arranged marriages (specifically to make them unwelcome in Korea).
Members of the royal family were assassinated or forced to live in Japan where they were assigned arranged marriages (specifically to make them unwelcome in Korea).
Speaking or writing in Korean was banned and Korean citizens were forced to take on Japanese last names.
Korea's palaces and city buildings were strategically destroyed. http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/03/117_62759.html#:~:text=(For%20those%20old%20enough%20to,register%20under%20their%20old%20ones.)
Korea's palaces and city buildings were strategically destroyed. http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/03/117_62759.html#:~:text=(For%20those%20old%20enough%20to,register%20under%20their%20old%20ones.)
Thousands of cultural artifacts were stolen and never returned– they can be found with private collectors or at the Tokyo National Museum. Many relics were stolen from tombs.
An entire country’s history and culture were nearly forcibly erased by the hand of Japanese imperialism.
An entire country’s history and culture were nearly forcibly erased by the hand of Japanese imperialism.
When Japan started losing WWII, it decided to draft Korean men into its army.
Beginning in 1944, all Korean males were forced to join the Imperial Japanese Army or work in the military-industrial sector.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/23720161?seq=1
Beginning in 1944, all Korean males were forced to join the Imperial Japanese Army or work in the military-industrial sector.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/23720161?seq=1
200,000 Koreans were conscripted into the Japanese troops.
When U.S. troops were expected to arrive. the Japanese executed 5,000 Korean soldiers in Tinian because they didn't trust them.
When U.S. troops were expected to arrive. the Japanese executed 5,000 Korean soldiers in Tinian because they didn't trust them.
Throughout the occupation, protestors and resistance groups bravely fought back.
From the March First Movement, the Korean Independence Movement, to smaller guerilla groups and individual fighters, Koreans were always fighting for liberation from Japan.
https://www.britannica.com/event/March-First-Movement
From the March First Movement, the Korean Independence Movement, to smaller guerilla groups and individual fighters, Koreans were always fighting for liberation from Japan.
https://www.britannica.com/event/March-First-Movement
Japan's occupation ended when the Allies arrived, but the U.S. isn’t the hero here.
After helping free Korea, American and Soviet troops turned Korea into their own war arena, and Korean civilians died for their political agendas.
After helping free Korea, American and Soviet troops turned Korea into their own war arena, and Korean civilians died for their political agendas.
This is what became the Korean War.
There were opposing factions within Korea, but it was the U.S. and Soviet Russia that officially divided Korea into the North and South, setting up two different governments. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/05/31/how-korea-was-divided-why-aftershocks-still-haunt-us-today/
There were opposing factions within Korea, but it was the U.S. and Soviet Russia that officially divided Korea into the North and South, setting up two different governments. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/05/31/how-korea-was-divided-why-aftershocks-still-haunt-us-today/
And it was the U.S. that bombed nearly every inch of North Korea, destroying almost every building, and killed an estimated 1.5 million people.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/asia-pacific/unknown-to-most-americans-the-us-totally-destroyed-north-korea-once-before-1.3227633
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/asia-pacific/unknown-to-most-americans-the-us-totally-destroyed-north-korea-once-before-1.3227633
The Korean War technically never ended– both sides just agreed to an armistice in 1953.
Korea has been divided for over 70 years now.
Some families have been able to reunite through programs, most have never seen each other again.
Korea has been divided for over 70 years now.
Some families have been able to reunite through programs, most have never seen each other again.
to be clear, today IS a happy day. and it's one of the only public holidays celebrated in both North and South Korea. but it felt important to share and reflect on how right after being liberated, Korea was destroyed and divided by foreign countries in the name of politics.
anyway, the rest of my sources:
