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Foreign Media Covered Peaceful Demonstrations on March 1, 1919, but the World Failed to Support Korea's Independence
By Robert NeffContributing Writer
On March 1, 1919, large well-planned and relatively peaceful demonstrations by Koreans demanding independence sprung up throughout the country and were violently suppressed by the Japanese government. Japan, with its complete control of the media in its own country as well as in Korea, tried to hide the growing unrest.
On March 4 of the same year, the Associated Press in Tokyo reported that Emperor Gojong's remains were taken to his tomb "escorted by four hundred Korean subjects, envoys from the Japanese court and representatives of the old Korean regime."
The report, published in The Washington Post on March 14, continued, "A military guard was formed by Japanese naval and military units. ...The streets were packed by large crowds in which country people predominated. They were orderly and the police restrictions were excellent." In denial to the large protest was the claim, the AP wrote "The occasion was not marred by any untoward incident."
Thus began the media war waged in the world's press between the Japanese government and Koreans.
The account of Korea's declaration of independence was first smuggled to Shanghai where it was telegraphed on March 9 to Ahn Chang-ho, president of the Korean Association of North America, in San Francisco. The telegram said, "The Korean National Independence union of 3,000,000 persons, including 2,000 Christian churches and 5,000 Churches of Heaven worshippers, all colleges and other bodies, declared the independence of Korea at 1 p.m. March 1 in Seoul, Pyongyang and other cities." It also noted that Korean representatives were being sent to Paris to attend the Paris Peace Conference and present Korea's plea for independence.
On March 10, in Washington, the Japanese embassy and the U.S. State Department denied these accounts. The only claims to "a Korean independence movement to be found is in San Francisco and Shanghai and not in Korea," wrote the Santa Fe New Mexican on March 10, 1919. But newspapers throughout the United States and Canada continued to print articles, often on the front page, of Korea's demands for independence.
In response, the Japanese embassy announced on March 11 that "Korea is an integral part of Japan" and that the Korean representatives being sent to the Paris Peace Conference would change nothing. "Korea was joined to Japan with world approval. Naturally there is a small element there as everywhere desiring a change," a Japanese embassy in Washington told the Oakland Tribune. (See the related photo "Japan Objects to Korean Discussion at Peace Session, Oakland Tribune, March 11, 1919) The Japanese tried to gain British support by likening Korea to Ireland and insisting that if Korea were granted independence then Ireland should gain its independence from Great Britain.
Despite the insistence of the State Department that the Korean demonstrations were spontaneous, the Associated Press in Shanghai and Beijing reported the demonstrations as being extensive and well-organized. The Korean representatives in Beijing declared that more than 3,000,000 people took part.
"Declarations of independence were read in the streets of cities and town. In many cases, Korean flags were hoisted and the Japanese colors were pulled down," The Lethbridge Herald, the leading newspaper in Alberta, Canada, wrote on March 13. "There was considerable stone throwing when gendarmes charged with fixed bayonets."
A growing number of atrocities were also reported. According to the Korean representatives quoted in The Washington Post, a girl holding a manifesto in one hand had it cut off by Japanese soldiers and when she raised her other hand, it too, was cut off.More than 40,000 Koreans and foreigners were arrested or detained, including Samuel A. Moffett, in Pyongyang, who, according to the Chosen Shimbun, the Koreans obeyed "as they would Jesus himself." The Chosen Shimbun further declared that foreign missionaries were "vile" and "outwardly they manifest love and mercy but if their minds were investigated, they would be found to be filled with intrigue and greed. They pretend to be here for preaching but they are secretly stirring up political disturbances and foolishly keep passing on the vain tales of the Koreans and thereby foster trouble. ...[Their homes are] the center of the present Korean uprising."
Reports in Beijing reveal torture carried out on missionaries. The Ogden Examiner wrote on March 14 that some of the Korean missionary students in Pyongyang were "seized, stripped and tied to rough wooden crosses, which they were obliged to carry through the city, their Japanese captors saying that as their father had borne the cross, they, too, should have the privilege of bearing it."
The Korean Declaration of Independence, which was printed by various papers including the Lowell Sun, claimed to represent 20,000,000 people. "We are not mean people," the declaration published on the Lowell Sun said, "We have 43 centuries of history as a distinct self-governing nation."
It insisted that it was the duty of Koreans to secure their independence, "to wipe out injuries, get rid of their present sufferings and stir up the national spirit and vitality, so long suppressed by the unjust regime of Japan and leave our children eternal freedom instead of a bitter and shameful inheritance."
The declaration continued: "We shall fight to the last drop of blood in the great cause of liberty. ...We believe the independence of Korea worthy of universal consideration and approval. We shall live to be free; we shall enjoy heaven-given happiness. Justice is with us. Righteousness is leading us. All citizens, male and female, young and old, have risen from the gloomy dungeon to push their way into freedom. Our forefathers inspire us and the world supports us."
Unfortunately, the world didn't support Korea. An editorial in the Oakland Tribune sadly summed up the world's opinion:
"Regardless of the favorable consideration that has been given that oft-repeated phrase, 'Every people has a right to govern itself as it chooses,' however, true people everywhere are to the idea of liberty and self-government, the present condition of practical international policies is not favorable to new revolutions against established authority. The world had had enough war and enough of suffering, and people everywhere being humanly selfish regarding mental peace, any effort to prolong the agony [through Korea's insistence of independence] is almost certain to receive a cold greeting."
In the end, according to Korean sources, there were 47,000 arrests, 7,509 deaths and 15,951 injuries. Korea's bid for independence through peaceful protests and world recognition had failed.
The writer first came to Korea with the U.S. military, and now works as a full-time historian on Korea in Seoul. He is the co-author of a study on the lives of Westerners in Joseon Kingdom era. He can be reached at robertneff103@hotmail.com.
