(Japanese Art) 1

Japan’s Truth for Colonizing Korea

Main Idea Why does it Matter? Terms & Names

With Japan’s help, Korea Even though Japan • Comfort Woman

was able to go through helped Korea through •Terauchi Masatake
the process of colonization, many •March First Movement
modernization more misleading ideas are
easily told to people.

SETTING THE STAGE During the turn of the 20th century, Japan defeated some of
the strongest countries in the world. In the first Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895), Japan Vocabulary
Sino – “Chinese”
easily crushed the Chinese army without much resistance. Soon thereafter, Japan
continued their dominance during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). This war with
Russia illustrated the superiority of the Japanese army, which was surprising to
foreigners since Japan had only recently adopted Western warfare tactics and
technologies during the Meiji Restoration. After the defeat of the oppressive regional TAKING NOTES
powers China and Russia, East and Southeast Asia were left without a strong leader to Understanding
a spider map to
Use

depend on (Ellington). Since these areas were poor and undeveloped, Japan took upon identify Japan’s help
the responsibility to civilize, modernize, and nurture these backward areas. With toward Korea
modern technology and ideas, Japan expanded its knowledge to these countries in need
through benevolent colonization.
(Globe 3D East Asia)
Japan Taking Over East Asia

Japan’s movement GEOGRAPHY SKILLBUILDER: Interpreting Maps

1. Location How did the location of the Korea affect the
Qing Dynasty:
(East Asia) country’s economy and culture?
A Chinese dynasty
1644 – 1912. Influence
in Korean culture today
How Japan Helped Korea
Japan’s motivation to help Korea Japan’s initial motivation for entering the Korean
peninsula was to offer an alternative to Korea’s longstanding dependence on China
during the Qing Dynasty (Duus). Many Koreans at the time wished for their country to
distance itself from Chinese influence – Japan offered that opportunity. In order to help
 the Koreans fortify themselves from China, Japan began to modernize the previously
undeveloped society on the peninsula. At this time, there were other nations seeking Main Idea
dominance over Korea, so Japan decided to protect Korea against these foreign
Analyzing
invaders (Duus). In order to feed the peacekeeping Japanese troops in the area, Japan Motives
began an agricultural modernization process, improving the rate of rice production and Why did the
Japanese colonize
exporting the crop to other Japanese protectorates in the region. This helped Koreans Korea?
because it provided them with new agricultural technologies and knowledge (Pratt).
Because the Japanese people were generally more civilized, educated, and
knowledgeable, their presence was beneficial to the uneducated masses living on the
peninsula at the time.
Process of Japan’s aid When Japan tried to change the backward areas in Korea, many
uneducated Koreans argued against Japan’s help without understanding how it will
effect later when Korea becomes an independent country. Japan was
generous to helped Korea reform its inefficient government (Plunge);
however, the stubborn Korean civilians kept refusing Japan’s help, but Main Idea
the Japanese ignored Korean people’s opinion, Japan began to change Analyzing
the backward Korean government. Sacrifice from the undereducated Process
How did Japan
Koreans was necessary for greater good. Soon the Japanese removed help Korea
all the uneducated masses of government workers and replaced them modernize?
with top class Japanese government officials into Korea’s
government. When Terauchi Masatake became Governor – General
of Korea, he built thousands of schools across Korea to increased
(Terauchi Masatake) Korea’s literacy rate. Japan was also benevolent enough to educate
Korean elites (“Japanese Empire Including Korea: Historical
Terauchi Masatake Sketch”). There are consequences such as the educated elite
1852 – 1919 helping the protest to become stronger against Japan. Even
with these risks, they ignored the consequences and helped
Terauchi was educated in France.
Korea to become a more modernized country. Some stubborn
He became the first Inspector
Koreans argue that educated elites were there to serve the
General of Military Education in
Japanese more than Koreans, but the obstinate Koreans were
1898. After the Russo – Japanese
blinded by their racial hatred and protested against the
War, he became the Governor –
Japanese rule without understanding the benefits that Japan
General of Korea.
has given them.

Events while Japan was modernizing Korea Although

Japan had provided many advanced technologies and protection, there were many
Korean troublemakers and rebels. For example, Koreans who went to T’aehwagwan
restaurant and shouted “Long live Korean independence!” (Lee) were people who
wanted personal gain and fame. They were the minority rebel group at that time did not
realize the benefits from Japan. Most Koreans accepted and liked the Japanese rule
because they understood that incremental changes were made in order to serve the
Korean better.
On March 3, 1919 is known as the March First Movement (Lee). Many Koreans
that were misled by the uneducated Koreans came to the government and violently
protested against Japan. The Korean civilians were destroying what Japan had set up to
help the Koreans, so Japan had no choice to use violence back against them, but Japan

Picture of Korea’s First March ▼

(March First Movement - Remembering the spirit of the nation)

(March First Movement – Remembering the spirit of the nation)

 only destroyed 2 schools (Lee) and did not even touch
industries because Japanese knew that they will become
the block for Korea’s success in the future.
SECTION ASSESMENT
3 Timeline
Effects on Korea During and After Japan’s Help The 1890 - 1950
Korean males had to serve in the Japanese military and
had to go in the front line in wars, if they were not in the

1890
Japanese army they had to work in factories that supports
Japanese
Main Idea (Kummer). Even the Korean females were
treated badly because most of them were forced to
Analyzing Effects
become Sino-Japanese War
Why was Japanese comfort woman for Japanese soldiers
1894 - 1895
(Kummer).
had a good effect Despite the short term effects during Japan’s
in Korea?
colonization, Koreans had earned many greater
advantages than non-colonized countries could not have.
Japan had given Korea a kick start to modernizing. When
Japan had wars with China and Russia, Korea was facing (Sino-Japanese War)
modernization alone, but after Japan’s help the process
of Korea’s modernization faster and smoother, which
Russo-Japanese War
lead to greater wealth than surrounded countries (Walsh).
1904 - 1905
This increase in wealth can be also seen when Japan was
helping Korea. In “[1925] Korea’s gross commodity
product was 17.7%; in 1931 it had increased to 22.7%, in
1936 to 31.3% and in 1939 to 29%” (Lee). While the
gross commodity product was augmented, so did the (Russo-Japanese War)
literacy rate. The short term effect that is still has an
impact today is education. Japan had built thousands of
school, brought loads of western ideas (Plunge), and

1900
even educates some elites that helped Korea’s education.
The education of Korea became advanced quickly to Korea becomes
colonized by Japan
1910

(Comfort Woman)

First March
1919

(Korea against Japan)

(Comfort Woman)
World War II
compete against other developed nations. End of Colonization
1945
1950

(Japan World War II)