Jan. 3, 1946 - The communists announce their support of the trusteeship. This intensifies Rhee's anti-Communist rhetoric.
Jan. 28, 1946 - Gen. Hodge tenders his resignation that is promptly turned down.
Feb. 2, 1946 - Hodge reports -
"I do not know who have been the experts on Korea who have advised and guided the State Department in their disregard of my recommendations. It may be the educated Koreans in the Unite States. It certainly has not been anyone who has seen and really knows Korea since the war.
I hope that it can be impressed upon the Department that here we are not dealing with wealthy US educated Koreans, but with early [sic], poorly trained, and poorly educated Orientals strongly affected by 40 years of Jap control, who stubbornly and fanatically hold to what they like and dislike, who are definitely influenced by direct propaganda and with whom it is almost impossible to reason. We are opposed by a strongly organized, ruthless political machinery designed to appeal to the millions of this type."
Feb. 8, 1946 - Pyongyang: Kim Il Sung is elected chairman of the Provisional People's Committee of North Korea (PPCNK) - in effect the northern branch of the Korean People's Republic, outlawed by the US Military in S. Korea. PPCNK becomes in all actuality the government of N. Korea. The Soviets fully support and virtually run PPCNK. The Public Security Bureau is headed by Pang Hak Se (a Soviet-Korean). Kim's partisans head police, border guards and military branches of the Bureau.
Feb. 10, 1946 - 'Land to those who till it' (to-ji-nun nong-ming eh ke)- the land reform makes the peasants happy. For many centuries, these poor souls have spent their entire life at hard labor and in misery and sub-human poverty. Their lot has been no better than that of a beast. The land reform ends this injustice. The landed gentry (yanbang) had sold out our country to Japan. Pro-Japanese landlords are hunted down and forced off their land and homes. Their former slaves are given the land free. Those landlords who are not pro-Japanese are allowed to keep just enough land to live on - provided that they lived on their lands and did the farm work themselves - they cannot be absentee owners.
My father is confident that he belonged to the latter category. He has many friends among the communist cadres - people who have IOU's to him - and he figures none will dare to touch him. My father asks his brother-in-law (my uncle Park, an authentic Korean farmer - illiterate and superstitious) to move onto our lands right away before the land reform goes into effect. In this way, he will be able to retain part of our land. Uncle Park - not quite understanding the reason behind the rush - consults a fortune-teller for the opportune time to move. It is too late - he misses the deadline and my father loses all of his land. My father is furious but Uncle Park does not understand why my father is so angry at him.
In addition to the land reform, other reforms of the 27-point platform are being implemented - the nationalization of major industries, reduction of the work-day to eight hours, the enactment of social security, and various labor reforms. Non-communists are allowed to participate in the political process. This is true democracy in action! We are all elated and work hard to build our nation.
Feb. 12, 1946 - Kapsan: A mob of peasants accuses my father (a landowner) of collaboration with the Japanese. My father's communist friends look the other way. Our land and properties are confiscated. My second brother - my father's favorite son - is killed by the mob. My oldest brother, a People's Militia member, is badly beaten. A platoon of the People's Militia arrives just in time to save us. My brother is expelled from the Militia. An old family friend drives us in a truck to Hamhung. We leave everything behind.
Feb. 14, 1946 - Seoul: Rhee's RDC (Representative Democratic Council) holds its first meeting. Kim Ku and Kim Kyu Sik join Rhee's camp. Yo Ung Hyon and communists are excluded from the RDC and form their own coalition, Democratic National Front. The Front includes the domestic communists led by Park Hyong Yong, the leftist faction of the KPG led by Kim Won Bong, the Yenan communists, and Yo's followers. The DNF also is supported by the People's Committees in local communities .
Feb. 23, 1946 - Hodge issues Ordinance #55 that requires registration of political "parties of three of more" persons.
March 5, 1946 - Seoul: The first US-USSR Joint Commission breaks up over the issue of allowing Koreans who oppose the trusteeship in a general election. By this time, the Korean communists change their tune and support the trusteeship while Korean nationalists (Kim Ku, Kim Sung Su and most other leaders) are against it.
March 20, 1946 - Seoul: The Soviet chief delegation Gen. Shtikov (later the USSR ambassador to N Korea) states:
"The great armies of the United States of America and the Soviet Union, having crushed the Japanese imperialists, have forever eliminated Japanese domination in Korea and liberated the Korean people. Korea has entered a new state of her development -- a stage of national rebirth and re-establishment of state independence.
Gentlemen: The people of Korea with their ancient culture vividly expressed national self-consciousness, year after year suffering hardships and the humiliation of colonial slavery; this people deserves the best future possible. With their blood and innumerable sufferings, the Korean people have earned the right of independence and a free way of life. The Soviet people warmly support this right of the Korean people. The Soviet Union has always championed and will always champion their self-determination and the free existence of any nation without exception.
The great aims of creating a democratic independent Korean state have brought to life wide political activity of the whole of the people of Korea. The Korean people have formed their democratic parties, public organizations, and people's committees as an organ of democratic self-government.
However, in the way of gradual democratization of the whole of the internal life of the Korean people, there stand serious difficulties, brought about by the furious resistance of reactionary and anti-democratic groups and certain elements, whose object is to undermine the work of creating and firmly establishing a democratic system in Korea."
March 29, 1946 - Seoul: Hodge makes the following statement:
"I am enough of an imperialist to want to preserve the standards of living; we've achieved in the US and I firmly believe that we have benefited the nations into which we have extended our influence. All nations with a high standard of living have been imperialist. Our imperialism hasn't been a bad imperialism."
April 1, 1946 - Hamhung: We live in a house formerly belonging to a Japanese family - our street address is Unhung Ri, 2-Ku, #201. It is near the summit of Mt. Un Hung, the old hunting ground of Gen. Yi Sung Ge - the first king of the Yi dynasty. The pristine waters of Sung Chung Gang flow on the other side of the mountain. The Japanese built a tunnel through the mountain for the convenience of the swimmers.
Near our house is a large residential community of the railway employees - mostly Japanese, now gone. A large underground cavity (Su Do Seh) holds the drinking water supply for the city. The underground reservoir is covered with cherry, apple and other fruit trees. Huge pipes pump water from the Sung Chun Gang into the reservoir.
Hamhung has electricity and city water - a civilized place thanks to the Japanese. There was no electricity or running water in Kapsan. We used kerosene lamps or candles for light and fetched water from filthy wells. However, the latrine is the same - a hole in the ground with an enclosure over it much like an American outhouse. Peasants from nearby farm villages empty the wastes into ox carts for pay. Cooking is done on an electric stove and electric blankets keep us warm during winter. In Kapsan, my mother used firewood for cooking and heating the floor ("on dol") and getting the firewood was a life or death proposition.
Another major attraction of Hamhung is its movie house (Kapsan had none). All movies are in Russian - Fall of Berlin, Stalingrad Campaign, Gen. Gudzov, October Revolution, Stone Flower and such. The movies have no subtitles and so a raconteur stands by the screen and tries to interpret male and female utterances. Our guy is very good - although we laugh every time he tries to mimic a female voice.
People's schools (equivalent to elementary schools) have five grades; junior high schools have three grades and the senior high schools have three grades. I am enrolled in the first grade of the Hamhung Second Junior High School. The People's Committee built the school at a location some four miles north of Hamhung. The southern half of a hill was bull-dozed over and a brand new two story buildings was built in no time at all. The hill used to a burial ground and the school yard was full of human bone fragments. After a heavy rain, more dirt is washed down exposing several grave sites.
Kids with money ride a bus to the school but the rest of us (I would say 95%) walk - rain or shine, sleet or ice. On the way to the school, I pass (1) a slaughter house, (2) a People's Army garrison and a shooting range and (3) an apple orchard. During the season, you get a ton of apples for virtually nothing; if you do not have any money, you get to eat reject apples that have worms inside - free. We stop by the slaughter house and watch cows and pigs being killed. The poor animals seem know what is going on and refuge to cooperate with their butchers. We also spend hours watching the People Army marching and do war games.
May 4, 1946 - Seoul: Hodge issues Ordinance #72 defines punishable offenses against the US military -
"Acts or conduct in support of, or participating in the formation of, any organization or movement dissolved or declared illegal by, or contrary to the interests of, the occupying forces. Publishing, importing or circulating printed, typed or written matter that is detrimental of or disrespectful to the occupying forces.
Organizing, promoting, publicizing, aiding or attending any public gathering, parade, or demonstration for which no permit has been granted. Knowingly making any false or misleading statement, orally or in writing, to any member of or person acting under authority of the occupying forces, in a matter of official concern; or in any manner defrauding, misleading or refusing to give information required by the Military Government."
May 12, 1946 - Seoul: Rhee's terrorists destroy offices of several popular newspapers - Choson Inminbo, Chungan Sinmun, and Chayu Sinmun. They harass the Russian delegation. Hodge announces a "counterfeit" ring within the Korean Communist Party and issues arrest warrant for communist leaders. Using the "counterfeit" as a pretext, the US military mounts a major sweep across S. Korea arresting key "communist" leaders.
May 18, 1946 - The US-Soviet Joint Commission is dissolved. Hodge's anti-Communist antics anger the Russian delegation and no meaningful accord has come out of this venture. The Soviet justifiably accuses Hodge of bad faith and intentional sabotage of the Moscow trusteeship agreement.
June 23, 1946 - Hodge writes to Rhee's US lobbyist Goodfellow (now back in US) -
"The old man has made a lot of unfortunate statements ... he wants to set up separate government now and drive Russians out... I've had a couple of stormy sessions with the old rascal trying to keep him on the beam. Reminds me of the Biblical all night wrestling with the 'Lord's angels."
June 29, 1946 - US Air Force Sgt. Donald Nichols is assigned to the "K" Sub-Detachment, 607th Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) based at K-16 (Kimpo Airfield). The 607th is to play a major role in Rhee's Korea. Rhee relied on Nichols for enemy intelligence and political assassinations of his political enemies - the "Communists".
The official function of the CIC unit is the detection and prevention of subversive activities against US Air Force assets in S. Korea, but in reality, it is a terror instrument used by Rhee and his US handlers. Nichols and Rhee expand the tiny 607th CIC detachment into a national intelligence and political terror organization. The Northwest Youth Organization (Suh Book Chong Yong), made of refugees from N. Korea, plays a supporting role for Nichols.
Nichols's CIC unit, later to become the 6004th Air Intelligence Service Squadron (AISS), employed former Japanese policemen and improved upon the Japanese torture methods. Ironically, the Americans are paying these Korean traitors to torture the very same Korean patriots they tortured for the Japanese until 1945. For example, the US CIC was fond of the Japanese water torture whereby a prisoner is tied prone on his back on a table with his arms and legs hog-tied. His head is arched back and covered with a wet cloth. The prisoner takes in the water vapor with each breath and dies a slow painful death.
July 22, 1946 - The Left-Right Coalition Committee (CC) holds its first meeting. CC is Hodge's new attempt at forming a representative governing body. CC is made the moderated from Left and the Right and excludes extremists such as Park Hyon Yon, Kim Ku and Rhee Syngman. Kim Ku and Rhee join forces to destroy the Coalition Committee. They are helped dissension within the coalition.
Aug. 24, 1946- Hodge issues Ordinance #118 that authorizes elections for an S. Korean "interim legislative assembly." - SKILA. Hodge will appoint half of the SKILA members and have absolute veto power. Not all Koreans will be eligible to vote because of "high illiteracy and lack of any political training.". Only tax payers and landlords will be eligible to vote. Village elders will vote for their charges. William Langdon (US State Dept.) states:
"As the State Department may be aware, the administrative officials of military government, because of the antagonism and virtual boycott of military government by the Left from the very beginning, are predominantly rightist. Thus the administrative preparations for the elections have been largely in their hands; and because of their tendency toward partisanship on the one hand and the disorganization and studied absence of interest in the elections by most local leftists on the other hand, it is a foregone conclusion that an overwhelming majority of rightist members will be elected."
Sept. 11, 1946 - Hodge announces that all USMGIK departments will be turned over to Korean directors with American "advisors".
Sept. 23, 1946 - Some 8,000 railway workers go on strike in Pusan. It spreads to all major cities of S. Korea. Students and other workers in a general strike. The strikers demand more rice, more pay, housing and food for unemployed and refugees from North, and freedom; release of all political prisoners; an end to police brutality; and restoration of People's committees. Hodge responds by ordering mass arrests of the strikers.
Oct. 1, 1946 - Taegu: Police shoot into a crowd of student demonstrators killing one student. The enraged citizens storm the police station and kill 38 police officers (mostly former Japanese police). American tanks move in to restore order.
Oct. 3, 1946 - Yongchon: A mob of 10,000 attack the police station and kill the county chief (kunsu) and some 40 police officers. The mob kills some 20 landlords and pro-Japanese officials. Mob actions spread to many counties and villages throughout S. Korea.
Oct. 7, 1946 - Masan: The American troops fire into a crowd of 6,000 killing several civilians. The American troops kill more civilians in scores of towns.
Oct. 7, 1946 - Seoul: The US military sets up the South Korean Interim Legislative Assembly - 50% elected by the people and 50% appointed by US. The Assembly is dominated by Syngman Rhee. Only two leftists are elected (from Cheju Island) but they are assassinated by Rhee upon their arrival in Seoul. To his credit, Hodge recognizes a rigged election and appoints 31 leftists to the Assembly.
Rhee wants to set up a separate government in S. Korea and more importantly, he is willing to work with the Americans. Henceforth, Rhee is, in N Korea, referred to as the 'traitor-running dog" of the American imperialists. Rhee is opposed by virtually all nationalists but he is backed by the landed gentry and pro-Japanese Koreans opposed to any nationalist government for the obvious reason.
Oct. 8, 1946 - Pusan: A student riot results in 24 deaths. By the end of October, some 800 police officers and several thousands' peasants and students lie dead; much of the rice crop is ruined; some 30,000 Koreans are jail.
Dec. 1946 - China: Lin Piao takes over much of Manchuria after eliminating 36 of Chiang's best generals. Lin moves onto northern China. My father buys a dry cell battery factory in Hamhung and turns himself into a capitalist from a landlord. The factory was built by the Japanese to make batteries for the Japanese Army during WW2. After the liberation, the factor was stripped by the Russians. My father pours in money to refurbish it and hires its former Korean workers who promptly go on strikes demanding more pay and benefits.
Dec. 12, 1946 - Seoul: The Assembly (SKILA) fails to achieve a quorum due to Rhee's boycott. Rhee is worried that the Assembly might pass laws against collaborators and pro-Japanese.
While Hodge relies on the English speaking conservatives and pro-Japanese in S Korea, the Soviets (in William Landon's words) -
"now take pains to prevent abuses of the Korean people by their soldiery, the administration is outwardly 100% Korean, lands of Japanese and native landlords have been distributed free to tenant farmers and landless refugees, former Japanese factories are operated by committees of organized workers and officials instead of by industrialists under an operating mandate as in our zone, labor law has been passed,; and the people are very much left to their own devices.
These reforms have fallen heavily on the unfortunate conservative and propertied classes, many of whom taken refuge in our zone, and even the peasantry and poor towns-people have not gotten over the earlier excesses and exaction of the Soviet soldiery. but large elements of the population now like their new deal, including a new class of officials and committee men with central and local executive and administrative powers."