(Rare!) President Syngman Rhee of Korea - Speech at U.S. Congress (July 28th, 1954)

The first President of Republic of Korea (South Korea), Syngman Rhee (1875.3.26 ~ 1965.7.19) delivers the speech (in English) at the U.S. Congress, on July 28th, 1954. This is a private air-check record, made on a aluminium-based 10 inch 78rpm record which I have. I wonder if there's another record of this speech preserved.

The speech itself is nothing that special, and his English is little bit hard to understand because of his accent. But anyway, it's a priceless historical document.

The Wikipedia article about him ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syngman_Rhee ) is well-written, so there's not much to say about him and his legacy. I, however, have to say this ; he's no George Washington of Korea. Looking back the modern history of Korea, it is sad to find that such a clever and skilled person (he got his Ph.D from Princeton!) like Rhee was so addicted to the Power and its 'sweetness', and lead the origins of thousands of problems which Koreans still didn't completely escaped from.

But after all, history is history ; no need to say harsh words to those people of the past. Like the great George Santayana said; "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

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[SirHungryHippo]

FUCK SYNGMAN RHEE

just an american puppet leader with no loyalty or vision, just a former japanese soldier who got propped up by america so that us troops could stay in korea

[dongsoola]

This guys was a complete US puppet, he massacred over 60,000 Koreans protested against.

Koreans allowed him to live, however. Just like North Korean Kim, Il Sung forgave all of pro-Japanese traitors.

But these pro-US traitors are still working against their own people.

[Bournetolive]

Let us just say the neither Kim Il Sung or Syngman Rhee were angels, though I would say the SK system was superior because it did force Rhee out of power in 1960, while Kim's madness went on unchallenged.

[Bournetolive]

@classictutor

Syngman Rhee was a piece of work, but it is true that he was not a Japanese soldier - rather, he returned to Korea for short periods but left due to Japanese oppression (after 1910 and after 1919 March 1st Movement).

[classictutor]

@SirHungryHippo If you don't know history, just keep quiet. Syngman Rhee never served under Japanese military, unlike some of Kim Il Sung's own relatives.

[493175001]

@classictutor

Father of modern Korea? That honor would go to Kim Il-Sung. The eternal president of the legitimate government of Korea.

[classictutor]

The father of modern Korea, President Rhee Syngman is great, if nothing else because he saved 50 million South Koreans from these monstrous murdering demons called Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

That alone deserves all the accolades in the world.

[classictutor]

Kim Jong Il regime proved the bankruptcy of the Kim Il Sung dynasty because just like the murdering father, the blood thirsty son killed even more people by forced starvation, imprisonment, torture and public executions. He even sent entire families to the goolag to be experimented on for germ warfare and just plain old sadistic meanness. When 3 million people starved to death in North Korea in late 90's, Kim Jong Il built $1 billion mausoleum for Kim Il Sung whom he murdered for power.

[classictutor]

People like dongsoola would be happy if Korea were communized under Kim Il Sung, the murdering thug and the Soviet stooge under Stalin. Kim Il Sung, as if starting the Korean War which resulted in the deaths of 3 million people weren't enough, completely fabricated the history of the Korean War and his own identity which were later confirmed by the declassified Soviet's records. Brainwashed Kim Jong Il sycophants like dongsoola still believes the lies which even Soviet Communists trashed.

[mariners5161]

rhee is the father of the nation. he was not dictator, he just victim of his party (liberal party) and I really indignant that he profaned as dictator by some pro-communists. he was proud of Korea. and my hero either. i think he is the best president of Korea ever.