An Overlooked Dimension of the Korean War: The Role of Christianity and American Missionaries in the Rise of Korean Nationalism, Anti-colonialism, and Eventual Civil War, 1884-1953 [PhD thesis]

637 Pages·2007·16.67 MB·English

by  Haga

AN OVERLOOKED DIMENSION OF THE KOREAN WAR:
The Role of Christianity and American Missionaries in the Rise of
Korean Nationalism, Anti-Colonialism, and Eventual Civil War,
1884-1953
A Dissertation
Presented to
The Faculty of the Department of History
The College of William and Mary in Virginia
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
by
Kai Yin Allison Haga
August 2007
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UMI Number: 3268802
Copyright 2007 by
Haga, Kai Yin Allison
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©Copyright by
Kai Yin Allison Haga
All Rights Reserved
2007
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APPROVAL SHEET
This dissertation is submitted in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Allison Haga
Approved by the Committee, May 2007
Edward P. Crapo Chair
dg N. Canning
Edward E. Pratt
Priscilla Roberts, Professor
The University of Hong Kong
11
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DEDICATION
To Ah Pa and Ah Ma
And to Momo, Mom and Dad
for all their unending love and support
iii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v
LIST OF TABLES vii
LIST OF MAPS xi
ABSTRACT xii
INTRODUCTION 2
PART I: Christianity in Korea and U.S.-Korean Relations before the Korean War
CHAPTER 1: Christianity and the Rise of Modem Korean Nationalism 27
CHAPTER 2: Religious Factors in North Korea 110
CHAPTER 3: Religious Factors in South Korea 168
CHAPTER 4: Religious Anti-Communism and American Foreign Policy 220
PARTII: Christianity in Korea and U.S.-Korean Relations during the Korean War
CHAPTER 5: The Outbreak of the Korean War 284
CHAPTER 6: Missionaries and Christians Living in the War Zone 334
CHAPTER 7: Occupation and Evacuation 394
CHAPTER 8: The Truce Talks and POW Controversy 448
CONCLUSION 518
APPENDIX 1 Tables 546
APPENDIX 2 Maps 569
BIBLIOGRAPHY 577
VITA 623
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The completion of this dissertation is the result of the continuous inspiration,
support, and encouragement of my professors, family, and friends. I am very grateful to
my advisor, Professor Edward Crapol, who not only inspired me in studying the field of
American foreign relations, but also supervised my research project even after his
retirement. His patience, confidence, and unfailing encouragement have enabled me to
pursue a career as a professional historian. As my academic mentor, his critique of my
writing pushed me to think deeply and more critically of my work, so that I would be able
to expand my area of interests and acquire a new body of knowledge of Korean-
American relations. Professor Craig Canning’s suggestions and enthusiasm for this study
as a contribution to the study of Korean history gave me great comfort after the years of
lonesome research effort. His careful reading of my manuscripts and insightful
comments helped me to deepen my understanding of Korea’s position in East Asia and its
diplomatic relations with its neighbors. I also extend my appreciation to Professor
Edward Pratt who read and critiqued my draft, enabling me to have my defense before
the beginning of the summer session.
This dissertation was further strengthened by the comments of Professor Priscilla
Roberts, who was my mentor during my undergraduate study at The University of Hong
Kong. It is a great honor to have her as the outside reader of this dissertation. My
research also benefited greatly by the guidance of several professors from South Korea.
Professor Young Ick Lew from Yonsei University and Professor Heung Soo Kim from
Mokwon University read my draft and gave me their invaluable comments to improve the
quality of the manuscript. I also need to express my deepest thanks for the kindness of
three professors from Yonsei University. Professor Jung Joo Kim gave me her unfailing
encouragement and support during my two research trips to Korea. Professor Jeong Min
Suh helped me find useful materials and introduced me to other church historians in
South Korea. Dr. Horace H. Underwood also provided me with Richard Underwood’s
unpublished memoir upon my request.
I am grateful for the Provost's Summer Research Fund I received to conduct
research in the summer of 2000 and the fall of 2002 that enabled me to visit the major
church and presidential archives in the United States. The Reves Center for International
Studies also gave me an overseas travel grant, allowing me to do research in South Korea.
I am particularly thankful to Rev. Dr. Marian McClure, the Director of the Worldwide
Ministries Division of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), who gave me special permission
to access record groups #140 and #197 in the Presbyterian Historical Society. I
appreciate the assistance of several archivists: Nancy J. Taylor and staff of the
Presbyterian Historical Society, Dale Patterson and staff of the United Methodist Church
Archives, Dennis E. Bilger and staff of the Harry S. Truman Library, Thomas W.
Branigar and staff of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, Nancy M. Shader and staff of
the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Myung-ju Kim and staff of the Yonsei Library
Special Collection, Ashley Ecklund and staff of the Government Document Section of
the McKeldin Library, University of Maryland. Staff of the National Archives at College
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Park, MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk, and the National Assembly Library of Korea in
Seoul, also offered me their services in finding useful documents.
Outside of the history community, I have also received a great deal of help from
friends and family. And I have made new friends during my research travels. Among
them all, I would first like to thank those who assisted me during my research trips to
Korea. With only a beginner’s grasp of the Korean language, I depended heavily on their
translation help. Cheol Liu, Yong-ju Ho, Se-jung Seo, Suk-ha Hoe, and Juhey Jung all
voluntarily translated many useful Korean academic publications and newspaper articles
for me. Mary Kim, So-yoon Jong, and Yumi Jang assisted my document search for
Korean-language documents at the archives. I am also grateful for the hospitality and
encouragement from Pastor David Kim, the director of the University Bible Fellowship,
Yonhee Center, during my stays in Korea.
In America as well, many friends supported me. Joyce Wang, Kyle Chang, and
Christy Fang provided me at various times with quiet places to write my dissertation. Joe
Park in Maryland and Patrick, Katie, and Sabrina of the Writing Resource Center at Penn
State Erie helped to proofread various chapters of my later drafts. In addition, many
people at University Bible Fellowship Church of Washington gave me moral
encouragement and support.
I am particularly grateful for the love and sacrifices of my family. First, for my
husband, Steve, whose patience and belief in my ability, gave me the strength to
persevere through the challenges of this research. His extensive proofreading and
comments on the organization and style of my writing were also invaluable. I am also
thankful for my father and mother-in-law, Donald and Jo Marie Haga, who always love
and support me during these years of hard work. I am very blessed to have Momo (my
grandmother-in-law), Arthie Conoly, who took good care of me while I was spending
months in doing research at the Presbyterian Archives in Philadelphia. And lastly, for my
parents, Kwan-chuen Li and Dr. Siu-chun Cheung, M.D., who supported my decision to
study Ph.D. in America, and who provided the financial support that made this
dissertation possible.
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LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1.1 Funding for Foreign Missionary work in East and Southeast Asia
(Methodist Episcopal Church) 546
1.2 Comparison of the number of overall Christian converts in Korea
and in Japan 546
1.3 The Growth of Protestant Christianity, 1905-1907 546
1.4 Comparison of the Methodist Ministry in Korea (1912) and in Japan
(1918) 546
1.5 Number of Presbyterian Churches in 1910 547
1.6 Christianity in Korea: Basic Statistics in 1941 547
1.7 Number of Modem Schools, 1910 548
1.8 Number of Westerners in 1894 548
1.9 Signers of the Declaration of Independence (March 1, 1919) 548
1.10 Religious Affiliation of People Arrested During the March First Independence
Movement 1919 549
1.11 The Growth of the Presbyterian Church before and after the 1919
Uprising 549
1.12 Korean Church Membership 549
2.1 Reported Membership in Religious Organizations, 1911-1944 550
2.2 The Provincial Distribution of the Young Friends’ Party 550
2.3 Religious Membership in Korea between 1939-1941 550
2.4a Percentage of Foreign Population in Korea 551
2.4b Distribution of North and South Korean Population (1941) 551
2.5 Major Christian Churches in Korea (1941) 551
2.6 Survey of Presbyterian Stations in 1940 551
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Page
2.7a Proportion of Population Reached by the Church in Villages with
Churches by Regions in 1925 (25 samples) 552
2.7b Landownership by General Farming Population and by Church
Membership, Compared by Regions (35 villages) in 1925 552
2.8 Population Growth in the Southern Zone (1946-1948) 552
2.9 The State of Christianity in Korea at the Time of Annexation 553
2.10 1939 Statistics for Various Missions (Federal Council of Missionary
Bodies) 553
3.1 Percentage of Christians in the AMG and First Republic (1946-1948) 554
3.2 Population Growth in the Southern Zone (1946-1948) 554
3.3 Population Growth in Major Southern Cities and Selected Ration Store
Data in 1947 554
3.4 Statistical Summary of Civil Disturbances in South Korea during the
Election Month (May 1-15, 1948) 555
4.1 Data of Billy Graham Crusades (1947-1954) 556
4.2a Religious Bodies - Church Membership (1926-1956) 556
4.2b Religious Bodies - Number of Churches and Membership
(1947-1953) 557
4.2c Growth Rates (1947-1953) 557
5.1 Population of Major Cities in South Korea (1941-1947) 558
5.2 Statistics of the “Save the Nation Evangelistic Crusade”
(April-May 1950) 558
5.3 Southern Presbyterian Missionaries who Stayed Behind 558
5.4 Foreign Civilians Held Captive by the North Koreans, 1950-1953 559
6.1 Foreign Civilians Held Captive by the North Koreas, 1950-53 560
6.2 Materials Donated by American Churches Distributed through the UN 560
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