27 moments

1. Birth in Daegyeong

   1875-03-26 · Daegyeong, Pyeongsan County, Hwanghae, Joseon (now North Korea)

   

   Rhee was born in Daegyeong village in Pyeongsan County, Hwanghae Province, during the Joseon period. Coordinates represent Pyeongsan County because a defensible exact coordinate for the historic village was not established.

2. Family relocation to Seoul

   1877-01-01 · Seoul, Joseon (now South Korea)

   

   At age two, Rhee moved with his family to Seoul, where he received traditional Confucian education.

3. Imprisonment at Gyeongmucheong Prison

   1899-01-01 · Gyeongmucheong Prison, Seoul, Korean Empire (now South Korea)

   

   Rhee was imprisoned after being implicated in a plot against King Gojong; this began his years of incarceration in Seoul. Exact historic prison-site coordinates were not established; coordinates represent central Seoul.

4. Portsmouth peace talks

   1905-08-01 · Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United States

   

   Rhee joined Yun Byeong-gu in unsuccessfully seeking U.S. support for Korean independence during the Portsmouth peace talks. The source gives month but not a day.

5. Move to Honolulu

   1913-02-01 · Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, United States

   

   Following a meeting with Park Yong-man, Rhee moved to Honolulu and assumed leadership of the Han-in Jung-ang Academy.

6. First Korean Congress

   1918-12-01 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

   After abandoning plans to travel to the Paris Peace Conference, Rhee convened the First Korean Congress with Seo Jae-pil to plan independence activism. The source places the congress after December 1918 but does not give a more exact congress date.

7. Acting presidency in Shanghai

   1920-12-01 · Shanghai, China

   

   Rhee moved to Shanghai and served as acting president of the Korean Provisional Government through May 1921. This card marks the beginning of a documented stay extending to May 1921.

8. Return to Hawaii

   1922-09-01 · Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, United States

   

   Rhee returned to Hawaii to concentrate on publishing, education, and religious work.

9. League of Nations conference

   1933-01-01 · Geneva, Switzerland

   

   Rhee attended a League of Nations conference to raise the issue of Korean independence internationally. The source gives only the beginning of the year.

10. Marriage to Franziska Donner

    1934-10-01 · New York City, New York, United States

    Rhee married Austrian interpreter Franziska Donner, who later served as his secretary.

11. Move to Washington

    1939-11-01 · Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    Rhee and his wife left Hawaii for Washington, where he worked on Japan Inside Out and pursued Korean independence advocacy during World War II.

12. Arrival in Tokyo after Japan's surrender

    1945-09-01 · Tokyo, Japan

    After Japan's surrender, Rhee was transported to Tokyo by a United States military aircraft before returning to Korea. The source places this after Japan's surrender on 2 September 1945 but does not state a precise arrival day.

13. Return to Seoul

    1945-10-01 · Seoul, Korea (now South Korea)

    

    Rhee returned to Korea on Douglas MacArthur's personal aircraft and became a central political figure under the U.S. military government. The source specifies mid-October rather than an exact day.

14. Washington lobbying mission

    1946-12-01 · Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    Rhee relocated to Washington to lobby for his proposed course toward an independent Korean government; the stay lasted into April 1947. This card marks the beginning of a documented stay extending to April 1947.

15. Inauguration of the Republic of Korea

    1948-08-15 · Governor-General Building, Seoul, South Korea

    Rhee attended the Seoul ceremony inaugurating the Republic of Korea, following his election as its first president. The Governor-General Building formerly stood on the site now associated with Gyeongbokgung Palace.

16. Flight to Chinhae

    1950-08-17 · Jinhae, Changwon, South Korea

    Rhee flew from Taegu to Chinhae during the wartime evacuation crisis, planning a short rest before proceeding toward Pusan. The source uses the historic spelling Chinhae; the locality is now part of Changwon.

17. Taegu evacuation decisions

    1950-08-17 · Daegu, South Korea

    During the Korean War, Rhee was in Taegu while the South Korean government prepared to withdraw its seat toward Pusan. The contemporary U.S. diplomatic telegram is dated 17 August 1950.

18. Meeting at the president's Pusan office

    1950-09-01 · President Rhee's Office, Pusan (now Busan), South Korea

    Rhee met U.S. Ambassador John J. Muccio and Dr. Noble at his office in wartime Pusan. The memorandum is dated Pusan, September 1, 1950; exact office location was not established, so coordinates represent central Busan.

19. Post-state-visit stop in Chicago

    1954-01-01 · Chicago, Illinois, United States

    Rhee visited Chicago after his Washington state visit during his 1954 U.S. itinerary. The State Department source establishes the visit but does not provide a city-specific date.

20. Post-state-visit stop in Kansas City

    1954-01-01 · Kansas City, Missouri, United States

    Rhee visited Kansas City, Missouri, after his Washington state visit during his 1954 U.S. itinerary. The State Department source establishes the visit but does not provide a city-specific date.

21. Post-state-visit stop in Los Angeles

    1954-01-01 · Los Angeles, California, United States

    Rhee visited Los Angeles after his Washington state visit during his 1954 U.S. itinerary. The State Department source establishes the visit but does not provide a city-specific date.

22. Post-state-visit stop in New York

    1954-01-01 · New York City, New York, United States

    After his Washington state visit, Rhee visited New York City during a wider U.S. itinerary. The State Department source establishes the visit but does not provide a city-specific date.

23. Post-state-visit stop in Philadelphia

    1954-01-01 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

    Rhee visited Philadelphia after his Washington state visit during his 1954 U.S. itinerary. The State Department source establishes the visit but does not provide a city-specific date.

24. Post-state-visit stop in San Francisco

    1954-01-01 · San Francisco, California, United States

    Rhee visited San Francisco after his Washington state visit during his 1954 U.S. itinerary. The State Department source establishes the visit but does not provide a city-specific date.

25. State visit talks in Washington

    1954-07-26 · Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    Rhee opened official talks in Washington during his state visit to the United States, discussing Korean political and security questions with U.S. officials. The memorandum of conversation is dated 26 July 1954.

26. Final month at Ihwajang

    1960-04-01 · Ihwajang House, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea

    

    After resigning amid the April Revolution, Rhee remained for about a month at Ihwajang before leaving Korea. His departure for Hawaii was on 29 May 1960; this card marks the residence period beginning after his 26 April resignation.

27. Death in Honolulu

    1965-07-19 · Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

    

    Rhee died in Honolulu after spending his final years there following his removal from office.