Week 4&5 Discussions
What do you think prompted so many Koreans into direct action against Japanese colonial rule? How much of it do you think was the language of the March 1, 1919 Declaration of Independence, and how much were other factors that Shin mentions? Answer this question by thinking about what might prompt you into actions at some moments and not at others. Have you ever felt compelled to act in ways that surprised you?
The March 1st Movement of Korea was a natural consequence of the dissatisfaction of colonial rule by the Japanese imperialist. The Declaration of Independence evoked Koreans’ anti-Japanese imperialism feelings and inspired them to take action against Japanese colonial rule. Shin also noted in the article that the international environment was urging for national self-determination. Many Korean intellectuals, students, and influential figures started the underground movement for independence in 1918, one year prior to the actual Independence Movement. What is most likely to prompt me to take actions now rather than later, is when I feel some sort of impulse or push. I do not mean a reckless or impulsive way of action, but it needs to take meticulous preparation and accurate judgment of the situation, and thereby to take actions. In the case of the March 1st Movement, it is such a push for many people to rise up against imperial rule. Fear, dissatisfaction, and hatred have long been fomented among people, they just needed a final push to empower them to take action. Even though the movement did not fully achieve its goal, it still brought a huge impact on the progress of the independence of Korea.
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Why do you think Kawashima insists on focusing on the suppression of Korean workers in Japan by the Soaikai, a Korean welfare organization in his piece? What questions does his analysis raise about the way we might think about both the Taki Seihi strike and the love story between Mr. Kim and Matsuo Shina discussed in the lecture? What are ways that you might think about their relationship beyond the its representation as an inter-racial love story as stated in the newspaper account?
From Kawashima’s article, we know that Soaikai, the “welfare” organization, did not bring many benefits to the Korean people, and instead, brought them many sufferings. It violently controlled the workers, created division and discrimination among the Korean people, and favored “selective production of the ideal Korean in Japan” (Kawashima 477). This organization and its behaviors ultimately turned Koreans against their fellow Koreans. Soaikai was against all sorts of independence of Korea, anti-Japanese sentiment, and labor movements. The Taki Seihi strike was the consequence of the unfair treatment of Korean workers, and thus, it would explain why Mr. Kim and Matsuo Shina had to move to Japan to make a living. Soaikai did many things that harmed the benefits of Korean workers and Koreans in general, so its influence gradually diminished and was called the Mutual Harm Society at the end.
