Syngman rhee biography of abraham lincoln
Smart but opportunistic Syngman Rhee
Few people are as controversial as Syngman Rhee, the first South Korean president, who is called the “founding father” as well as the “national divider.” What kind of person is he when analyzed from his hand writings? First of all, he is the best calligrapher among the presidents of South Korea. His hand writings stand out in intellectual elegance rather than in external decoration or elaborate workmanship in brush strokes. His hand writings in both Korean and English are refined and matured in part because he continued his calligraphy throughout his life but also because he has achieved a high level. Hand writings often tell the competency of the person, and Rhee’s exceeded those of Harry Truman and Joseph Stalin.
However, Rhee’s calligraphy also reveals that he was a cunning and opportunistic politician. His writings are vertically very long, indicating that his strong self-confidence and broad-mindedness, while suggesting his originality, spontaneity, emotionality, capriciousness and opportunistic tendency. They also indicate that he had flexibility and sociability, suggesting that he was not strict about himself or critical toward others, and had a good sense of humor. Particularly, the relatively bigger size of the first letters in his hand writing suggests that he was a man of stage. In fact, he liked to stand before people and wanted to gain fame. Such traits are also found in the cases of George Washington, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. Although Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi were different, but they were exceptions.
Except that his hand writings were large and long vertically, they were the typical hand writings of anti-Japanese fighters. The straight and regular style suggests that he was internally solid, principled and conservative. The way his writings are pointed upward indicate his stubbornness and strong determination. Rhee’s hand writings are simple and clear, suggesting that he was a straightfor
Syngman Rhee: Socialist
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CWIHP Working Paper 82
Syngman Rhee: Socialist
David P. Fields[1]
June
“Communism is cholera and you cannot compromise with cholera” is the closest that Syngman Rhee came to giving posterity a memorable one-liner. These words still define Syngman Rhee as he is remembered today by both his friends and his enemies. The image of Rhee as a staunch right-wing anti-communist is the one that endures. To his supporters, Rhee’s anticommunism was his supreme virtue. They believe that he saw the dangers of communism early and prevented the southern half of Korea from being swallowed up as a Soviet client state.[2] To his critics his anti-communism lies at the root of the reactionary politics that fostered the division of Korea and suppressed a leftist social revolution on the peninsula. In the name of anticommunism, the Republic of Korea’s attempts at fostering democracy were dashed and the state morphed into a military dictatorship. The myth then of Rhee being a far-right-wing anticommunist has been beneficial to both sides. But is it true? By , Syngman Rhee held explicitly anti-communist views, but were these the views that he held his whole life? Was anti-communism really at Rhee’s ideological core? Is anti-communism the same as right-wing politics?
This paper will make two claims that run counter to much of the received wisdom about Syngman Rhee’s political beliefs. First, it will argue that Syngman Rhee’s politics for most of his life were left-of-center at least according to the American understanding of the terms “left” and “right.” In fact Rhee’s beliefs for much of his life would have resonated more with the ideals of left-wing social democracy than with right-wing free-market capitalism. Second, it will argue Rhee’s anti-communism was more instrumental than philosophical. In fact, for much of his life, it would be more accurate to describe Rhee as anti-Soviet rather than anti- Syngman Rhee was born in Kaesong, Korea, on 26th April, He took an interest in politics and in he was imprisoned by the Yi Dynasty for taking part in a protest against the monarchy. After his release in his education in the United States. Rhee eventually received a Ph.D from Princeton University in International Law. In he was elected president of the Korean Provisional Government in exile. American and Soviet troops entered Korea after the defeat of Japan at the end of the Second World War. The country was divided at the 38th parallel and in the Soviet Union set up a People's Democratic Republic in North Korea. At the same time the United States helped establish the Republic of South Korea. After the Second World War Rhee returned to Korea. Over the next two years Rhee emerged as the main right-wing politician in Korea and in he received the unofficial support of the United States government. In Rhee became the first president of South Korea. He soon developed a reputation for authoritarian rule and his political opponents were quickly silenced. In June the United States Army began to withdraw from South Korea. Statements made by General Douglas MacArthur and Dean Acheson suggested that the United States did not see the area as being of prime importance. Acheson argued that if South Korea was attacked: "The initial reliance must be on the people attacked to resist it and then upon the commitments of the entire civilized world under the Charter of the United Nations." Kim Il-Sung, the communist dictator of North Korea, became convinced that the people in the south would welcome being ruled by his government. At dawn on 25th June , the North Koreans launched a surprise attack on South Korea. Three days later, communist forces captured the South Korean capital, Seoul. The Security Council of the United Nations recommended that troops should be sent to defend South Korea. As the Soviet Union was boycotting the Security Cou .Spartacus Educational