In 1905, Japan forcibly signed the Eulsa Treaty, and in 1910, it forcibly annexed Korea. As a darker shadow loomed over their homeland, thousands of Koreans who had already emigrated to the Americas naturally ignited a movement to save their country. The enlightenment and leadership of patriotic leaders played a significant role, but for the immigrants enduring hard lives away from their homeland, the noble proposal to “restore our weakened homeland with our strength” became an unquestionable primary goal. These people, who aimed to pass on Korea’s cultural heritage to their children and survive extreme labor, dreamed of returning to a liberated homeland once Japan withdrew.
To achieve this, Koreans united even more fervently, developing a national salvation struggle through political anti-Japanese movements and the training of independence fighters. The earnest independence movement began in 1905, and for 40 years until liberation, Korean-Americans persistently and steadily dedicated themselves to patriotism and love for their nation.
Though the training of independence fighters for armed resistance was once actively pursued, the great distance from their homeland meant it was neither effective nor sustainable. However, nearly all Korean-Americans participated in raising funds for the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai, and the amounts collected were substantial. Additionally, they organized patriotic groups to find ways to contribute to Korea’s independence and launched a boycott of Japanese goods. In 1920, General No Baek-rin and Korean graduates from the Redwood Flight School, with the help of the “King of Rice” Kim Jong-lim, established a flight school in Willows for the purpose of Korean independence.
The flight school, established in Willows near Sacramento, Northern California, was built by Korean-Americans to train pilots necessary for the war of independence against Japan. At that time, Japan had no air force, and those who believed the only way to defeat Japan was through airpower obtained land, purchased airplanes, and trained pilots, marking the planes with the Taegeuk symbol. However, problems soon arose at the thriving flight school. After World War I ended in 1918, the demand for rice decreased, and countries that had been unable to farm rice during the war resumed cultivation. To make matters worse, Northern California experienced severe floods in November and December of 1920, preventing Koreans from harvesting any rice.
As a result, Korean rice farming could not be restored. The farm tycoon Kim Jong-lim, who had been a major financial supporter, also suffered due to the flood. Additionally, Hee-seong Park incurred significant financial losses when he borrowed an airplane from a white person to take a flight license test and failed. In April 1921, the flight school had to close its doors completely, bringing tears to those involved.
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