The Making of the First Korean President: Syngman Rhee's Quest for Independence, 1875-1948

Contents

Contents Preface . . . . . xi Acknowledgments . . . . . xv Note on Romanization and Photos . . . . . xix List of Abbreviations . . . . . xxi List of Korean Names . . . . . xxiii 1. Birth of a Christian reformer . . . . . 1 Family Background • Education, Old and New Style • Imprisonment and Conversion to Christianity 2. DiplomaCy with a U.s. presiDent anD ivy leagUe eDUCation in ameriCa . . . . . 18 Diplomacy with a President of the United States • Studies at George Washington University • Studies at Harvard and Princeton • Working for Korean Independence While Studying 3. CHrIStIaN EDUCatION aND EvaNGElISm IN KOrEa anD Japan . . . . . 41 returning Home • Student Department Secretary of the Seoul YmCa • the “Christian Conspiracy Case” and religious Exile • Evangelical Work in Japan and International missionary Diplomacy 4. early life in hawai‘i . . . . . 64 Initial activities in Hawai‘i, 1913–1915 • the Korean Christian Institute in Honolulu • the Korean Christian Church in Honolulu • Pak Yong-man versus Syngman rhee 5. PrESIDENt OF tHE KOrEaN PrOvISIONal governments . . . . . 89 the march First movement and the First Korean Congress in Philadelphia • “President” of the Korean Provisional Governments • the Korean Commission to america and Europe • a Secret Journey to Shanghai and Discharge of Presidential Duties viii Contents 6. fall from power in shanghai anD hawai‘i . . . . . 131 rhee’s rivals in Beijing and Shanghai • Diplomatic Fiasco at the Washington Conference • Impeachment by the Shanghai Provisional Government • the Comrade Society • abortive Business venture 7. SOlO DrIvE FOr KOrEaN INDEPENDENCE IN EUrOPE anD marriage to franCesCa Donner . . . . . 178 Diplomatic and Publicity Efforts in Geneva and moscow • marriage to Francesca Donner 8. in pUrsUit of DiplomatiC reCognition DUring the paCifiC war . . . . . 203 rhee’s Diplomatic Efforts in Washington, D.C. • lobbying of the State Department by the Korean-american Council • lobbying of the U.S. Congress by the Christian Friends of Korea • Collaboration with the Office of Strategic Services • Diplomatic and Propaganda Efforts at the United Nations Conference in San Francisco 9. new rivals anD DetraCtors . . . . . 235 the reedley Group and the Korean National association of North america • Han Kil-su and the Sino-Korean Peoples’ league of Hawaii 10. BeComing the presiDent of the repUBliC of KOrEa . . . . . 267 attempting Political Unity (October–November 1945) • Fighting trusteeship and Cooperating with the U.S. military Government (December 1945–June 1946) • Push for an Interim Government in the South (June 1946–april 1947) • Promoting South Korean Elections (may 1947–may 1948) • Drafting a Constitution and Founding the republic (may–august 1948) ConClUsion . . . . . 281 Chronology of Syngman Rhee’s Career to 1948 . . . . . 295 Appendices a. an English Summary of Syngman rhee’s The Spirit of Independence . . . . . 305 B. Petition from the Koreans of Hawaii to President theodore roosevelt, July 12, 1905 . . . . . 309 C. James S. Gale’s letter of recommendation on Behalf of Syngman rhee, November 2, 1904 . . . . . 311 Contents ix D. Petition of Syngman rhee and Henry Chung to President Woodrow Wilson, February 25, 1919 . . . . . 313 E. a Petition to the President of the United States and the Peace Conference in Paris: Submitted by the Participants of the First Korean Congress in Philadelphia, april 14–16, 1919 . . . . . 316 F. letter from President Syngman rhee to the Emperor of Japan, June 18, 1919 . . . . . 317 G. President Sygman rhee’s “Executive Order Creating the Korean Commission” and “rules Governing the Commission,” September 1919 . . . . . 319 H. the revenue of the Korean Commission, September 1919–april 1922 . . . . . 321 I. the Expenditures of the Korean Commission, December 1919–august 1921 . . . . . 322 J. Korea’s appeal to the Conference on the limitation of armament, December 1, 1921 . . . . . 323 K. Syngman rhee, “Statement of the Koreans in manchuria ,” February 18, 1933 . . . . . 329 l. translation of a Korean Speech by Dr. Syngman rhee Short-waved to the Far East, June 13, 1942 . . . . . 332 Notes . . . . . 335 Glossary . . . . . 395 Bibliography . . . . . 403 Index . . . . . 437 ...