This is a Korean name; the family name is Rhee.

Syngman Rhee or Lee Seungman or Yee Sung-man (March 26, 1875 – July 19, 1965) was the first president of South Korea. His presidency, from August 1948 to April 1960, remains controversial, affected by Cold War tensions on the Korean peninsula and elsewhere. Rhee was regarded as an anti-Communist and a strongman, and led South Korea through the Korean War. His presidency ended in resignation following popular protests against a disputed election. He died in exile in Hawaii. He is Ssibseggi. A Korean personal name consists of a family name followed by a given name. ... Lee is the common English spelling of 이 (pronounced ), a common Korean family name. ... Image File history File links Lee_Seung-man. ... The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was a government in exile based in Shanghai, China and later in Chongqing, during the Japanese occupation of Korea. ... The President is head of state of South Korea. ... is the 100th day of the year (101st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dosan Ahn Chang-Ho (안창호 November 9, 1878 - March 10, 1938) was a Korean independence activist and one of the early leaders of the Korean immigrant community in the United States. ... Yi Si-yeong was the first vice-president of South Korea from 1948 to 1950. ... Sunjong, Crown Prince Cheok (hwangtaeja), crowned Emperor Yunghui (Korean hangul: 융희제; hanja: 隆熙帝; revised: yunghuije; McCune-Reischauer: yunghÅ­ije; March 25, 1874–April 24, 1926) was the last emperor of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea, ruling from 1907 until 1920. ... Kim Gu (김구 金九, August 29, 1876 – June 26, 1949), the sixth and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, was a Korean patriot who had struggled against the Japanese occupation of Korea that lasted from 1910 to 1945. ... Park Eunsik (September 30, 1859 - November 1, 1925) was the second President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai during part of 1925. ... Yun Bo-seon (August 26, 1897 – July 18, 1990) was the President of South Korea from 1960 to 1962. ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year (86th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1875 (MDCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Hwanghae (Hwanghae-do) was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty, and one of the thirteen provinces of Korea during the Japanese Colonial Period. ... This article is about the Korean peninsula and civilization. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... For the city and county of Honolulu, see City & County of Honolulu. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... A Korean personal name consists of a family name followed by a given name. ... Jamo redirects here. ... Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. ... The Revised Romanization of Korean is the official Korean language romanization system in South Korea. ... McCune-Reischauer romanization is one of the two most widely used Korean language romanization systems, along with the Revised Romanization of Korean, which replaced (a modified) McCune-Reischauer as the official romanization system in South Korea in 2000. ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year (86th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1875 (MDCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... The President is head of state of South Korea. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Anti-communism is opposition to communist ideology, organization, or government, on either a theoretical or practical level. ... A strongperson is a political leader who rules by force and runs an authoritarian regime. ... Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ...

Early life

Rhee was born in Hwanghae Province to Rhee Kyong-sun, a member of an aristocratic Yangban family.^[1] Rhee was descended from Prince Yangnyeong, the eldest son of King Taejong of Joseon.^[2][3][4] He soon became active in Korea's struggle against Japanese hegemony. He was arrested in 1897 for demonstrating against the Japanese monarchy, being subsequently released in 1904 and going to the United States. He obtained several degrees (including an A.B. from George Washington University and a Ph.D. from Princeton University) and became so Westernized that he began writing his name in the Western manner, with the personal name preceding the family name. Hwanghae (Hwanghae-do) was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty, and one of the thirteen provinces of Korea during the Japanese Colonial Period. ... The Yangban were a well educated scholarly class of male Confucian scholars who were part of the ruling elite within Korea prior to 1945 and the republics period of Korean history. ... Taejong was the third king of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea and the father of King Sejong the Great. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (see link for calendar). ... A Bachelor of Arts (B.A. or A.B.) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or program in the arts and/or sciences. ... The George Washington University (GW), is a private, coeducational university located in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The school was founded in 1821 as The Columbian College in the District of Columbia by Baptist ministers using funds bequeathed by George Washington. ... Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. ... Princeton University is a private coeducational research university located in Princeton, New Jersey. ...

In 1910, he returned to Korea, which had by this time been annexed by Japan. His political activism attracted unwelcome attention from the occupying army, and he left for China in 1912. In 1919, all of the major pro-independence factions formed the Provisional Government in Shanghai. Rhee was elected the president, a post he held for six years, until 1925 when he was impeached by the Provisional Assembly for the misuse of his authority. Year 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was a government in exile based in Shanghai, China and later in Chongqing, during the Japanese occupation of Korea. ... For other uses, see Shanghai (disambiguation). ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Presidency

After Korea was liberated from Japan, Rhee returned to Seoul before the other independence leaders, since he was the only one well known to the Allies. In 1945, he was chosen as head of the Korean government. With the tacit consent of the occupation authorities, Rhee conducted a campaign to "remove Communism" that was actually a veiled drive to remove all potential opposition^{[citation needed]}. Short name Statistics Location map Map of location of Seoul. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ...

Rhee was elected the first president of South Korea on 10 May 1948 by a parliamentary vote, defeating Kim Koo, the last president of the Provisional Government by a count of 180-16 after left-wing parties boycotted the election. On 15 August 1948, he formally took over power from the US military and de jure sovereignty of Korean people from the Provisional Government. is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Kim Koo (August 29, 1876 – June 26, 1949), the sixth and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, was a Korean patriot who had struggled against the Japanese occupation of Korea that lasted from 1910 to 1945. ... is the 227th day of the year (228th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

As president, Rhee assumed dictatorial powers even before the Korean War broke out in 1950. He allowed the internal security force (headed by his right-hand man, Kim Chang-ryong) to detain and torture suspected Communists and North Korean agents. His government also oversaw several massacres, the most notable being on the island of Jeju in response to an uprising by leftist factions. While massacres did occur under the regimes that succeeded Rhee, they were fewer in number and less widespread. ^{[citation needed]} Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Kim Chang-ryong, born around 1920, was Rhee Syngmans right hand man. ... North Korea, officially the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK; Korean: Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk; Hangul: 조선민주주의인민공화국; Hanja: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國), is a country in eastern Asia... The Jeju massacre or the Cheju April 3rd massacre happened as a result of suppression against armed rebellion in Jeju island, South Korea, during the period of April 3, 1948 to September 21, 1954. ...

Rhee further damaged his reputation by encouraging the citizens of Seoul, the nation's capital, to remain in the city while he himself was already on his way to refuge as war broke out. His decision to cut the bridges on the Han River prevented thousands of citizens from escaping Communist rule. When UN and South Korean forces fought back and drove the North Koreans north towards the Yalu River (only to retreat to a line around the current DMZ because of Chinese counterattack), Rhee became unpopular with his allies for refusing to agree to a number of ceasefire proposals that would have left Korea divided. Hoping to become the leader of a united Korea, with U.N. assistance, he tried to veto any peace plan that failed to eliminate the northern government completely. He also argued for stronger methods to be used against China and often expressed annoyance at the reluctance of the U.S. to bomb it. The Han River located in South Korea, is the confluence of the South Han River, which originates in Mount Daedeok-san, and the North Han, which originates in Mount Geumgang-san. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... The Amnok River, or the Yalu River, is a river on the border between China and North Korea. ... In military terms, a demilitarized zone (DMZ) is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more groups, where military activity is not permitted, usually by treaty or other agreement. ...

On January 18, 1952, Rhee declared South Korean sovereignty over the waters around the Korean peninsula, in a concept similar to that of today's exclusive economic zones. The maritime demarcation thus drawn up, which Rhee called the "Peace Line", included Liancourt Rocks and Tsushima Island. is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1952 (MCMLII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sea areas in international rights Under the law of the sea, an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources. ... The Syngman Rhee line (Hangul: 이승만 라인) refers to a boundary line established by South Korean President Syngman Rhee in his Peace Line(평화선) declaration of January 18, 1952, marking Dokdo as Korean territory. ... “Dokdo” redirects here. ... Tsushima Island (対馬 Tsushima) is an island in Japan, situated in the Tsushima Strait at 34°25N and 129°20E.[1] It is the largest island of the Nagasaki Prefecture. ...

President Rhee taking the oath of office in Seoul on July 24, 1948

Syngman Rhee awarding a medal to U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Ralph A. Ofstie during the Korean War in 1952

Throughout his rule, Rhee sought to take additional steps to cement his control of the government. In May 1952 (shortly after being elected to a second term), when the government was still based in Busan due to the ongoing war, Rhee pushed through constitutional amendments which made the presidency a directly-elected position. In order to do this, he declared martial law and jailed the members of parliament whom he expected to vote against it. Rhee was subsequently elected by a wide margin. He regained control of parliament in the 1954 elections, and thereupon pushed through an amendment to exempt himself from the eight-year term limit. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (600x879, 169 KB) Summary Iconic image of first South Korean President Syngman Rhee taking the oath of office on 24 July 1948. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (600x879, 169 KB) Summary Iconic image of first South Korean President Syngman Rhee taking the oath of office on 24 July 1948. ... is the 205th day of the year (206th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (740x620, 97 KB) 짧은설명 http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (740x620, 97 KB) 짧은설명 http://www. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... The term Rear Admiral originated from the days of Naval Sailing Squadrons, and can trace its origins to the British Royal Navy. ... Ralph Andrew Ofstie (16 November 1897 – 19 November 1956) was a Vice Admiral in the United States Navy, an Escort Carrier commander in World War II, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air), and Commander of the U.S. Sixth Fleet. ... Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders... Busan Metropolitan City, also known as Pusan[1] is the largest port city in the Republic of Korea. ... The Constitution of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) is its basic law. ...

Rhee's prospects for reelection during the presidential campaign of 1956 initially seemed dim. Public disillusionment regarding his attempt to seek a third term was growing, and the main opposition candidate Shin Ik-hee drew immense crowds during his campaign. Shin's sudden death while on the campaign trail, however, allowed Rhee to win the presidency with ease. The runner-up of that election, Cho Bong-am of the Progressive Party, was later charged with espionage and executed in 1959.

Resignation

By 1960, Rhee already served three terms in office. His victory was assured when the main opposition candidate, Cho Byeong-ok, died shortly before the March 15 elections. Rhee won with 90% of the vote. The real contest was in the race for vice president (held separately under the law of the time), and Rhee's heir apparent Yi Gi-bung was declared the victor in an election that the opposition claimed was rigged. This sparked off anger among segments of the Korean populace, and the student-led April 19 Movement forced Rhee to resign on April 26. Cho Byeong-ok is a South Korean politician. ... is the 74th day of the year (75th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... is the 116th day of the year (117th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

On April 28, a DC-4 belonging to the CIA - operated Civil Air Transport whisked Rhee out of South Korea and away from the clutches of a lynch mob that was closing in. Kim Yong Kap, Rhee's Deputy Minister of Finance, revealed that President Rhee had embezzled $20 million in government funds. Rhee, his Austrian-born wife, Franziska Donner, and adopted son lived in exile in Honolulu, Hawaii. On July 19, 1965, Rhee died of a stroke. His body was returned to Seoul and buried in the National Cemetery on July 27 of the same year. The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... Civil Air Transport (CAT) was a CIA-owned airline that supported United States covert operations throughout East and Southeast Asia. ... Franziska Donner (born on 15 June 1900 in Vienna, died 19 March 1992 in Seoul) was the wife of president Syngman Rhee and the first lady of Korea between 1948 and 1960. ... Honolulu as seen from the International Space Station Honolulu is the largest city and the capital of the U.S. state of Hawai‘i. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Legacy

Rhee's legacy has been in considerable dispute. In general, conservative circles regard Rhee as the patriarch of the nation, while liberals tend to be critical of him.

Rhee's former residence in Seoul, Ihwajang, is currently used for the presidential memorial museum, and Woo-Nam Presidential Preservation Foundation has been set up to honour his legacy.

Mentions in American pop culture

• Rhee is mentioned in Billy Joel's history themed song "We Didn't Start the Fire".

• Rhee is mentioned numerous times in Robert Altman's film MASH (1970) which is about a team of American army medical officers during the Korean War. For instance, when the lights go out in the operating room during surgery and then come back on a short time later one of the doctors says "Syngman Rhee paid the electric bill." Later, when Hawkeye (Donald Sutherland) takes the young Korean mess hall boy Ho-Jon to get a medical checkup, he tells the South Korean guards that "This is Syngman Rhee's son, he goes right in" to get him better treatment.

• In the TV series M*A*S*H*, Radar O'Reilly tells Henry Blake about a celebration that is taking place in Seoul because "Syngman Rhee got elected dictator again."

William Martin Billy Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, pianist, songwriter, composer and musician. ... We Didnt Start the Fire is a song by Billy Joel that chronicles 120 well-known events, people, things, and places widely noted during his lifetime, from March 1949 to 1989, when the song was released on his album Storm Front. ... For other persons named Robert Altman, see Robert Altman (disambiguation). ... MASH is a 1970 satirical American dark comedy film directed by Robert Altman and based on the novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors by Richard Hooker. ... Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Ho-Jon is a fictional character in the film M*A*S*H, where he was played by Kim Atwood, and the television series M*A*S*H, where he was played by Patrick Adiarte. ... Corporal “Radar” O’Reilly is a fictional character in the M*A*S*H novels, the film, the television series, the television movie, W*A*L*T*E*R, and two episodes of the series, After M*A*S*H. The character was portrayed by Gary Burghoff in both the... See also Henry Arthur Blake. ...

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• President of South Korea

This is a list of Wikipedia articles on Korea-related people, places, things, and concepts. ... The President is head of state of South Korea. ...

References

External links

• Syngman Rhee

The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was a government in exile based in Shanghai, China and later in Chongqing, during the Japanese occupation of Korea. ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Park Eunsik (September 30, 1859 - November 1, 1925) was the second President of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai during part of 1925. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Kim Gu (김구 金九, August 29, 1876 – June 26, 1949), the sixth and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, was a Korean patriot who had struggled against the Japanese occupation of Korea that lasted from 1910 to 1945. ... The President is head of state of South Korea. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Yun Po Sun (August 26, 1897 - July 18, 1990) was the President of South Korea during 1960 - 1962. ...

	Presidents of South Korea
Provisional Government: Rhee Syng-man | Park Eunsik | Yi Sang-ryong | Hong Jin | Yi Dong-nyung | Kim Gu Republic: Rhee Syng-man | Yun Bo-seon | Park Chung-hee | Choi Kyu-hah | Chun Doo-hwan | Roh Tae-woo | Kim Young-sam | Kim Dae-jung | Roh Moo-hyun