MS+KWI+(A-block)

The Korean War Interview

 = Release Form=



=Interview Questions= 1. What are your name, age, occupation, and family members now? How old were you at that time and who were your family members back then? 2. What were your thoughts when the first president of South Korea was in position? 3. Based on your experience who started the war? (Could you elaborate on that matter?) 4. How was Kim Il Sung seen by the South Koreans? (Was much known of him?) 5. Explain some of the incidents that you remember at that time. 6. How did the UN troops treat the South Korean civilians? 7. Why do you think the Korean War occurred? 8. Where did you live? How did the place change due to the war? 9. How did you feel when your own brothers were suddenly your enemies? 10. What were some hardships during the war? 11. Could you explain the situation or condition of Korea after the war had ended? 12. If anyone did, who won the Korean War? 13. How do you think the war has changed and shaped you? 14. How did the Korean War begin? 15. How did the War change your family and your life? 16. What do you think about the current North Korean government and its living standards? 17. To conclude, what are some key facts you want to emphasize to those who don't know the Korean War?

=Interview (video)= Part 1 (Video Recording) media type="youtube" key="RLLkfxHq3BI" height="344" width="425" (The second question is supposed to be How was Kim Il Sung seen by the South Koreans?)

Part 2 (Video Recording) media type="youtube" key="kqNT8xFqp-o" height="344" width="425" Part 3 (Phone call) media type="youtube" key="rraDu8IA8HM" height="344" width="425" Part 4 (Phone call) media type="youtube" key="zWuH0SMcjGk" height="344" width="425"

=Summary (podcast)=

media type="file" key="AS KWI summary.mp3"

=Analysis Question= 1) How does your interviewee's testimony fit in with what you have learned about the experience of civilians? Most of the facts that I expected were similarly said in the interview. I expected that the blame of the war went on the either the North Koreans or the foreign forces; great hardships after the war ended; possibly some anti-sentiments towards the Americans and the Soviets; and finally the devastating affect of the Korean War to the individuals. However, there were some facts that I didn’t expect. I intended to learn the reality of the knowledge of the Korean War that the normal Koreans were able to obtain during the Korean War. I predicted that it would be a shallow knowledge, but it proved to be wrong. At an early age, my grandfather, the interviewee was able to access many “correct” sides of the truth in the war. These include anti-sentiments towards Rhee Syng Man, understanding the situation of the North, and the non-biased effects of the war to Korea.

2) Using your background knowledge try to contextualize their testimony. How do you think major events of the war affected their life at the time? According the interview, there were 3 major events of the war that affected my interviewee’s life greatly. First there was the freedom gained from Japan through the help of Americans. This was the principle method of American influence in the region. Based on my interviewee, he thinks that Korea wasn’t freed from Japan but was influenced by another foreign power continuously. Life at time was definitely western dominated with many American troops starting to reside in Korea and finally making a conflict with the Soviet Union. The participation of the Soviet Union meant another big issue to the life back in South Korea. As my interviewee said, in effect of the Soviet Union intervention of the war, the war became more catastrophic by battling with better technologies. These better weapons meant more destruction to the villages and civilians. Lastly the effect of the election of Rhee Sung Man actually brought disputes to the table for many families at that time. They were expected to support the new government or otherwise they were sent to prisons. Thus the lives of the innocent were at risk during the presidency of Rhee Sung Man.

3) Hypothesize or explain how you interviewee was able to stay out of danger. My grandfather, my interviewee was evacuated to the near mountains with his family at that time. Like the excerpts we read in class, the family of my interviewee was quite large with his uncles and aunts altogether, which made it harder for them to keep moving far away from the war. But they didn’t have to move far down since his own hometown was already in the southern part of Korea. He says that he hid in the mountains with his family and then returned home. He says that his family didn’t expect the war to last for 3 years and simply returned home after a few months of hiding.

=Essay= The Korean Interview Project for this class showed me a definite different perspective of the Korean War from what I had previously learned and heard about. The historical significance of my interview was the unique point of view of the rural area during the Korean War. I had always thought if the Korean War affected the whole Korea evenly or if there were parts of Korea were it wasn’t much affect. Through the interview I could see that there were not only military support from the people but also support for the current government in place in order to maintain a strong power during the war. Since my grandfather lived in the south, he didn’t need to travel such a long distance to reach a safer zone. Historically that was significant because it showed that the major influences of the war weren’t to the entire Korea but major parts of it. Also, my interviewee was 15 years old, just about the same time I am now. This made me reflect on what changes the war can bring to just an ordinary person like me. It turns out that my grandfather remembered a great deal of the Korean War, proving how significant it was in his life for him to remember it this long. I must include that this interview taught me a whole different perspective of the Korean War. I never knew that the South Korean government of Rhee Seung Man was unpopular to the normal Koreans. According to the texts that we have been reading in class, I expected that everyone was supporting the government since Americans acknowledged the leader and put him on the Times magazine. It was shocking and new to know that there were many who were anti-Rhee Seung Man because some saw him as the one who brought in the American troops and made the war larger. Another fact that I learned through this interview was that there were technological advancements for the North Koreans who were supported by the Soviet Union. There was no mention of military gadgets and technology except the advanced Soviet Union’s aircraft that defended successfully the air-force attacks from the Americans. But besides that I didn’t suspect much difference in the land-based battles. I was proven wrong. My grandfather witnessed greater guns used by the North Koreans while the South Koreans relied on the remainders of Japanese guns. Lastly, I understood that although false history could have been taught and announced during the Korean War, there were a great deal of people who pursued truth. The truth of who started the war, was discovered to be biased depending on what country they were in. Acquiring this knowledge my grandfather still suspected to be North Korea because of its better weapons. Through this interview I believe that the Korean History can be learned in a larger perspective, rather than what the textbooks say about it. This larger perspective includes new facts about the war and the seriousness of it by actually hearing it said by a relative. It brought much of the war reality to me, and I hope most of the interviews bring a sense of reality in order to make better judgment of the whole event.