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Chapter 63: Sino-Korean War (4)
While Wang Jingwei was being cursed by Chiang Kai-shek, he received a warm welcome from Lee Sung Joon in Pyongyang and declared that he would promote the Sino-Korean Alliance Treaty as a representative of the “Kuomintang”.
Korea and China are at war, but they’re forming an alliance?
It sounds contradictory, but it was possible.
If one recognized the fact that Chiang Kai-shek’s ‘old’ Republic of China and Wang Jingwei’s ‘new’ Republic of China were separate countries, that contradiction could be easily resolved.
Wang Jingwei turned on the speaker towards the anti-Zhang faction in mainland China from Pyongyang.
“You, are you going to sink with Chiang Kai-shek? If you don’t want to sink, come over here. Live with me. I promise you a high position if you just come here.”
Wang Jingwei’s persuasion didn’t actually have much effect.
Even Wu Peifu, the leader of the Zhili warlord clique who was living in Beijing cursing Chiang Kai-shek, laughed at Wang Jingwei.
“I’d rather beg on the streets than be a dog of the Goryeo Bangzi.”
Considering the national anger towards Korea, which had started a war twice in just a few years, going to Pyongyang was almost like a suicidal act that would end one’s political life.
In fact, only a very small number of Kuomintang figures followed Wang Jingwei.
The reason they followed Wang Jingwei was simple.
We’re already has-beens anyway.
They just bet their lives, which were as good as dead, as collateral.
Wang Jingwei declared the creation of a ‘new Kuomintang government’ by gathering these figures who came over.
There was a bit of a shortage of people, but they set up all the institutions and roughly filled the positions.
Except for the fact that everyone sitting in the chairs was a traitor, they had more or less put together the appearance of a government.
“Soon we will return to the ‘capital’ via Shanghai.”
“If that happens...”
Wang Jingwei returning to the capital meant that Nanjing would fall, but the traitors didn’t really care.
Anyone who was conscious of such things wouldn’t have come to a position like this in the first place.
Wang Jingwei visited the Korean Ministry of Army and Ministry of Foreign Affairs every day to find out about the war situation.
“You can rest assured that you will enter Nanjing by mid-August at the latest.”
The promise of the Korean military was as solid as it could be.
The Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs also only said nice things to hear.
“Now that the Sino-Korean Alliance has been concluded, there will never be any friction between Korea and China. Whoever tries to stop us from letting the Chinese people live in a peaceful world is the bad guy, right?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
Wang Jingwei was convinced that his actions were just.
After all, would Chiang Kai-shek be right to unnecessarily provoke Korea, a neighboring superpower, and start a war twice?
And the proof that his bet was right appeared in less than a week after he arrived in Pyongyang.
“Nanjing has fallen!”
“Now I’m the real power holder in China. I will lead the country well so that such a tragedy never happens again.”
“If it’s Premier Wang, you will be able to do that.”
Wang Jingwei expressed a brief sense of regret over the fall of Nanjing and shifted all responsibility to the Chiang Kai-shek regime.
From the perspective of the Kuomintang government being attacked, it was an absurd story.
I know that, but what can the loser say?
China didn’t just lose.
The Chinese army gave up the capital without being able to use their strength against a single offensive launched by the Korean army.
The Korean army swept through the Chinese capital unimpeded.
In the process, tragedy unfolded.
Of course, the Korean army didn’t engage in large-scale rape or beheading competitions like the former Japanese army.
It’s just that,
“I heard tens of thousands of Goryeo Bangzi are coming.”
“At this rate, won’t the Bangzi beat us all to death?”
“Honey, let’s pack our bags quickly. If we stay here, we’ll be caught by the Bangzi.”
The Chinese people had thought of the Korean army as evil spirits in human form after seeing the propaganda of the Republic of China’s government.
The Korean army in their minds were evil beings who would rape any girl they saw regardless of age and kill every man who could be a soldier.
It was not unreasonable to fear the Korean army.
Too many people drowned in rivers or were crushed to death in refugee processions while fleeing from the Korean army.
The number of people who died this way alone reached thousands.
Ironically, for the dead Chinese, the Korean army that entered Nanjing showed a more gentlemanly attitude than expected.
On August 9, 1941, the commander of the Korean army stationed in Nanjing issued the following instructions:
First, implement a night curfew. Chinese people are prohibited from going out or staying out from 20:00 to 06:00.
Second, prohibit assemblies and associations. If 5 or more Chinese people gather, they can be forcibly detained and taken into custody.
Third, prohibit publishing and media. Those who are caught engaging in propaganda and agitation will be dealt with according to military law.
The instructions were simpler and easier to understand than expected.
Dong Dong saw Korean soldiers on the street, but he didn’t feel particularly threatened by them.
It was an attitude unlike the Bangzi who were said to stab people just by looking at them.
Dong Dong ran home in a hurry and handed steamed buns to his sister.
His sister chewed on the steamed bun and asked about the situation on the street.
“I saw a passing Bangzi, but he didn’t even shout and just walked by. I guess it’s true that they won’t bother us if we just follow the announcements.”
“They don’t look dangerous?”
“Yeah. They don’t look very dangerous.”
“If the Bangzi aren’t dangerous, I wish I could go back to school quickly.”
His sister seemed to miss school.
However, there was no reason for his sister to go outside.
At least not until this war was over.
Around the time when the citizens of Nanjing began to accept the occupation of the Korean army as their daily life, Wang Jingwei entered Nanjing.
“Long live Premier Wang Jingwei, the leader of peace!”
“Long live Premier Wang Jingwei! Long live peace!”
The mobilized swindlers tried to create an atmosphere of welcoming Wang Jingwei, but the citizens’ response was cold.
No matter how much Chiang Kai-shek abandoned us, he can’t be compared to a traitor who betrayed the motherland.
The Bangzi are also funny guys. How could they push such a guy as a leader?
Wang Jingwei also felt the unsavory gaze directed at him.
“Ahem.”
Wang Jingwei tried to comfort himself, thinking that these gazes would improve over time.
“Premier, there is no need to be disappointed. The masses are originally just dogs and pigs who only need to be fed and clothed, right? After enjoying warm peace under the Premier’s rule, everyone’s thoughts will change.”
Chen Gongbo, the second-in-command of the Wang Jingwei regime, eased Wang Jingwei’s burden with these words.
“As long as people recognize my good intentions, I have nothing more to wish for.”
Only then could Wang Jingwei shake off his gloomy mood.
And he started to work.
As soon as it was established, the Wang Jingwei regime immediately revealed its character as a comprador regime.
“China can only escape the threat of war by following Korea, the eldest brother of Asia. That’s why it’s the Korea-China Alliance. If an emotionally identical Asian power protects us, how reassuring would that be?”
“The stationing of the Korean army in China is a blessing for the Chinese people. We must keep in mind that the economy can only be revived if the Korean army suppresses the warlords who only know how to increase their military power excessively.”
“The Korea-China Free Trade Agreement will closely bind the economies of both countries and provide new vitality to the Chinese economy, which has been weakened by poverty, corruption, and war. Therefore, we need to actively engage in economic agreements with Korea for the prosperity of the new era. I’ll say it again, China’s problem is the economy. Not the damn military spending.”
Wang Jingwei sold out the country three times from where he sat.
First, he handed over diplomatic rights, then security, and finally economic sovereignty.
The great powers, who had been watching the Korea-China War with lukewarm eyes, also raised their buttocks, saying ‘Ah, it’s hot’ when the situation reached this point.
“Hey, hey, the Koreans are trying to monopolize China by playing tricks, can we just sit back and watch Pyongyang’s antics?”
“Absolutely not. How can Korea even think about swallowing China whole, does that make any sense?”
“Let’s strongly protest to Pyongyang.”
“Alright, let’s cooperate.”
The U.S. and U.K. united to express a warning to Korea.
“We would like to make it clear to the Korean government that each country should have equal opportunities in China.”
It meant don’t take the bowl alone and gobble it up like a pig.
Of course, the Korean government did not cross the line that the U.S. and U.K. had in mind.
“This is a temporary measure. When we formally conclude a treaty after the war, we will reflect your intentions.”
For now, Korea took a stance of bowing its head to the West.
Since they were being so stiff with Germany but bowing their heads to the U.S. and U.K., Washington, and London also felt that they could communicate with Korea.
Compared to the German bastards who openly commit blackmail, extortion, and fraud, how much more humane and communicative are they?
“Since the war has already broken out, let’s leave it up to the Koreans until it’s settled. China was a country that tried to join the Axis in the first place, so why would we mediate for them just because they’re pretty?”
Moreover, considering the issue of Soviet support, it was also difficult to excessively damage Korea’s face.
“You must keep the promises you made.”
“Of course, would we lie? We are not Germany.”
The moment the U.S., U.K., and Korea reached an implicit agreement under the table, the fate of China was virtually decided.
“If we hold on, the U.S. and U.K. will pressure Korea to negotiate.”
Only the Chinese government was unaware of that fact.
Footnotes
1. The Kuomintang, also referred to as the Guomindang, the Nationalist Party of China or the Chinese Nationalist Party, is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially based on the Chinese mainland and then in Taiwan since 19492. Wu Peifu was a Chinese warlord who dominated Beijing from 1917 to 1924.3. A Chinese word used as a derogatory term for Koreans and ethnic Koreans in China Swearing, It's the same meaning as Gaoli Bangzi that was used in the past. Basically, (In a extremely simple term) they are being called dicks.However, this slur can mean more than that.4. Chen Gongbo was a Chinese politician, noted for his role as the second and final president of the Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China, a puppet state of Japan. Chen Gongbo. 陳公博 Chen in 1943.
