The Life of Independence Fighters Who Entered Battle Ready to Sacrifice Their Lives

Special Exhibition at the Independence Hall: 'I am an Independent Soldier'

Hong Beom-do Diary

The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea declared 1920 as the "Year of the Independence War." Through its official publication, the Dongnip Sinmun (Independence Newspaper), it expressed its determination to launch an independence war to the outside world. That year, the independence army established bases in Manchuria and the Jiandao region. They achieved consecutive great victories at the Battles of Bongodong and Cheongsanri, sparking a ray of hope. The noble legacy is often represented by figures such as Kim Jwa-jin and Hong Beom-do. However, the true heroes are others: the ordinary soldiers who risked their lives in battle and the civilians who supported them behind the scenes. They are the great heroes who set the history of the Republic of Korea straight.

Proclamation No. 1 of the Military Affairs Department of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea

The Independence Hall is holding a special exhibition titled "I am an Independence Fighter" until October 25th to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the independence war. Centered on eighty-two handwritten memoirs and recollections left by independence fighters, including the "Hong Beom-do Diary (manuscript copy)," the exhibition reviews the history of the independence war. The exhibition is divided into three main parts. Part 1, "The Path to Becoming an Independence Fighter," explores the journey ordinary people took to become independence fighters. It presents moving records of those who fled abroad to train at the Shinheung Military Academy, key figures of the Provisional Government who sought to nurture independence fighters, and young people who escaped from the Japanese army to join the Liberation Army.

Ji Cheong-cheon Diary

Part 2, "The Life-Risking Independence War," returns to the sites of the Battles of Bongodong and Cheongsanri. Through the Hong Beom-do Diary and the handwritten chronology of Korean Independence Army member Lee Gyu-chae, it highlights the hunger, cold, and suffering the independence fighters endured until they could deliver news of victory. Part 3, "The Strength of the Independence Fighters," sheds light on the efforts of civilians who supported the independence war over a long period. This includes families who had to live away from home following their independence fighter fathers and husbands, and the Korean residents in Manchuria who generously provided food and shelter to the independence fighters. Visitors can also see the handwritten diary of Ji Cheong-cheon, the commander-in-chief of the Liberation Army, and memoirs by his daughter Ji Bok-young.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.