Tim Shorrock. Money Doesn't Talk, It Swears.
"We kept protesting desperately, asking them to bring back our sons and daughters. If we had done nothing, we would have led a more painful life." |
"Suddenly the police attacked, again using tear gas. They went for the crowds in Gumnaam-ro once more. But it was not a day like the previous day. Most of those on the street were not students. They were street vendors, store clerks, and housewives. The populace had turned out for the first time. They grew violent. They threw bits of broken flowerpots and bricks. They barricaded the streets, using rails they tore off and broken telephone booths that they had torn down with their hands. I was astounded. I've never expected anything like this. The day before no one had joined in, no ordinary citizens. All of a sudden they were acting in unison with the students." The Citizens Army was composed of student activists. They distributed guns and stole tanks to fight the military.
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"The rebels would present the regime with a dilemma: 'If you do not have the guts to kill more people, you surrender yourselves. And if you do have the guts, then you prove yourself a barbarian.' And Yun and his lieutenants were willing to pay the price: their lives."
-Bradley Martin, foreign correspondent.
German Edition of South Korea's Democracy Movement released by May 18th Foundation. 2nd row right is courtesy of UNESCO Heritage Site.
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The impressive organization and roles of the committee created by the protesters. Asia's Unknown Uprisings.
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"Gwangju's consciousness is 'if we die, let’s die together. If we live, let’s live together.' In the face of this illegal and unjust nonsense, we can never submit. That’s how we kicked the martial law troops out. That’s how for 10 days, we as people made the most critical alliance. We drew our blood to give to patients. We shared food staples, made kimbap to share with the people's militia, and those who were crying out in the streets."
-Ahn Seung Rye, Nurse Superior at Gwangju Gidok Hospital.
People recieved news from a citizen written militia bulletin. May 22.
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Residents crowd around the Provincial Government Office. May 24.
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May 27, 4 A.M., live ammunition was distributed. The 7th, 11th, and 13th Airborne Brigade were ordered to regain control of Gwangju.
“The military only gives out live ammunition according to orders. Providing live ammunition is a preliminary action for opening fire. It means there is an intention to open fire.” |
Movement and clash of protesters and troops. Kwangju Uprising: Eyewitness Press Accounts of Korea's Tiananmen.
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“He kept looking at me, and finally I asked him: ‘The military has encircled the city, they are far more powerful than you, they will kill you, what is your plan? He said, ‘We will fight to the end, we will resist to the last.’ I saw death in his eyes.”
-Bradley Martin, foreign correspondent.
In two hours, the military seized Provincial Hall. 1,476 protesters were arrested, 730 detained for investigation. The Government estimated 267 people died and 3,383 were injured.
"Thousands of troops were deployed throughout the city, and fifteen tanks occupied the central plaza in front Provincial Hall. There, soldiers guarded groups of rebels who had surrendered and who were lying on the ground at gunpoint. Other young men were marched up after being captured elsewhere, and eventually I saw forty to sixty of them loaded onto buses." |
Mourning family members. Tim Shorrock. Money Doesn't Talk, It Swears.
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"You have witnessed this entire process. Now you should return home. I hope you will not forget this day and carry on the struggle to future generation. We will be defeated today, but tomorrow's history will make us the victors."
-Yun San-wong, Citizens Army spokesman, May 27.