신흥무관학교와 한국독립운동

Abstract

Sinheung Military School was established in Samwonpo, Yooha-hyeon, West Jiandao in June, 1911. Its establishment was sponsored by the members of Sinminhoi (a secret society for Korea’s independence). They decided to stablish the base for independence movement abroad and train an army for national independence at a meeting right after the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910. According to their decision, the figures like Lee, Hoi-young and his 5 brothers, Lee, Dong-nyeong, Lee, Sang-ryong and others emigrated to West Jiandao and established Sinheung Military School there. Since then,Sinheung Military School graduated about 3,500 students till 1920. The meaning of Shinheung Military School in the history of Korean independence movement can be summarized into four items as follow ; The first one is the spirit of noblesse oblige shown by the founders of Shinheung Military School. The figures like Lee, Hoi-young and his 5 brothers, Lee, Dong-nyeong, Lee, Sang-ryong and others who emigrated to West Jiandao gave up all their vested rights and honors. In addition, they sold all of their belongings and donated them to the establishment of Sinheung Military School. Their devotional sacrifice is the model of the spirit of noblesse oblige shown by the people in the leadership class in the history of Korean independence movement. Secondly, Sinheung Military School settled the strategy of independence movement which is called “the theory of independence war” in the history of Korean independence movement. The leading figures of Sinminhoi established Sinheung Military School with the thought that when Japanese imperialism would begin to fight a war with China, America and Russia, the army for national independence would join the war with them against Japanese imperialism and then win our independence. This was the strategy for Korean independence movement. Thirdly, the graduates of Sinheung Military School played a leading part in independence movement afterwards. For about 10 years Sinheung Military School graduated 3,500 students. They played a leading parts in various fields in Manchuria and China till Japanese imperialism’s defeat in 1945. Many graduates participated in Cheongsan-ri Military Campaign. Organizing the Joseon Revolutionary Army and the Army for Korean Independence, they carried out an armed struggle against the Japanese military. Also the people who established Joseoneuiyongdae (an army for national independence) and the Korean Independence Army and actively worked there as core leading members were the graduates of Sinheung Military School. Fourthly, Sinheung Military School formed tradition to train the Army for national Independence and its tradition continued till the liberation of Korea in 1945. Although Sinheung Military School closed in 1920, even since then, the work to train the staffs of the army for national independence continued. As the Korea government-in-exile established the Military Academy to train the staffs of the Army for Korean Independence, the work to train the Army for Korean Independence was continuously underway by 1940s.