About
Syngman Rhee (1875-1965) is a central figure in Korean history. Born into a ruling-class family, he became involved early in the independence movement. As the first Korean to earn a doctorate from an American university (Princeton, 1910), he emerged as a leader of the Korean diaspora. President of the provisional government in exile in Shanghai (1919-1925), he continued his struggle after liberation. In 1948, he became the first President of the Republic of Korea, leading the country through the Korean War (1950-1953) and a period of reconstruction. His increasingly authoritarian regime was toppled by the student-led April 19 Revolution in 1960. He died in exile in Hawaii in 1965.
* 1875-03-26 — † 1965-07-19
Major works
- The Spirit of Independence (1910)political essay
Key milestones
- 1910Earned a Ph.D. from Princeton University, becoming the first Korean to receive a doctorate from an American university.
- 1948Inaugurated as the first President of the Republic of Korea on July 20; sovereignty transferred from the U.S. military government on August 15.
- 1960Forced to resign on April 26 following the April 19 student revolution.
Themes
National independenceModernizationAuthoritarianismKorean WarMaritime sovereignty
Sources: jstor.org · franklin.library.upenn.edu · eresources.nlb.gov.sg
