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Description

War Memorial of Korea (Seoul).

Particularly after the middle of the 19th century, various foreign powers began approaching Joseon dynasty Korea, whose isolationism gave it the nickname "hermit kingdom," but Korea took longer than Japan to reopen. One state that did not succeed was the USA, which had begun the reopening of Japan and was looking for more opportunities around Asia, especially after the Union victory in the Civil War and the transcontinental railroad project meant the future was in trade and industry. In 1866, the American merchant ship SS General Sherman sailed into Korean waters and was ordered to leave as the country was still closed, but the captain refused to turn back and the Daewongun (prince regent) believed it was a French warship in disguise as France was invading Korea the same year. The Daewongun authorized a military response, so the Korean forces destroyed the ship, killed the whole crew, and refused to inform the USA.

Five years later, the U.S. government sent an official mission to Korea consisting of Ambassador Frederick Low, five warships, and hundreds of soldiers. The Korean government finally informed the Americans that the General Sherman had been destroyed for illegally sailing into the country to trade, and tried to give an apology and compensation, but the Americans found it insufficient and wanted to force Korea to reopen anyway. American troops landed on Ganghwa Island, killed 200 Korean soldiers, and then retreated after the Korean government terminated negotiations and organized reinforcements to relieve Ganghwado. It would take over a decade for the two countries to finally agree to trade, and by then someone else had already forced Korea to reopen. A model of the General Sherman, the ship that started the whole problem, is displayed in the exhibit.

Description

War Memorial of Korea (Seoul).

Particularly after the middle of the 19th century, various foreign powers began approaching Joseon dynasty Korea, whose isolationism gave it the nickname "hermit kingdom," but Korea took longer than Japan to reopen. One state that did not succeed was the USA, which had begun the reopening of Japan and was looking for more opportunities around Asia, especially after the Union victory in the Civil War and the transcontinental railroad project meant the future was in trade and industry. In 1866, the American merchant ship SS General Sherman sailed into Korean waters and was ordered to leave as the country was still closed, but the captain refused to turn back and the Daewongun (prince regent) believed it was a French warship in disguise as France was invading Korea the same year. The Daewongun authorized a military response, so the Korean forces destroyed the ship, killed the whole crew, and refused to inform the USA.

Five years later, the U.S. government sent an official mission to Korea consisting of Ambassador Frederick Low, five warships, and hundreds of soldiers. The Korean government finally informed the Americans that the General Sherman had been destroyed for illegally sailing into the country to trade, and tried to give an apology and compensation, but the Americans found it insufficient and wanted to force Korea to reopen anyway. American troops landed on Ganghwa Island, killed 200 Korean soldiers, and then retreated after the Korean government terminated negotiations and organized reinforcements to relieve Ganghwado. It would take over a decade for the two countries to finally agree to trade, and by then someone else had already forced Korea to reopen. A model of the General Sherman, the ship that started the whole problem, is displayed in the exhibit.