Re: Around August 15 1945 in one Korean family (7)

As for the attitude of Korea, when the Soviet forces were advancing to the town, all the public stations displayed red flags, so all over there it seemed the field of red flags.
Their clothes were dirty and they never thought of laundry. Their daily breads were black one and I had never seen a white bread.

Our 202 platoon, heading Hugnam in the south, marched to the south, and sometimes took a short break. About one tenth of all members had diarrhea. Our platoon and company, all in line with strange sounds, so often took a longer rest time.

This was an inevitable result because of eating the raw soybeans. But luckily I never had a diarrhea, and when I had a good shit, the officer next to me envied and said to me, You! you bring a good shit! Only on this day, I didn't want to exchange my private E-2 badge of rank to officer's one.

Going down to Hugnam in south direction, our 202 platoon passed through the front of the prefectural office flapping many Soviet flags in the Hamhung city, went over the prefectural hospital and left the big Manse bridge behind, and we took a rest for a while. At that time, a man in front of me was shouting loud in Korean, Are there Korean people? If there, please hand up! I will take you off!

I judged this was a chance of escape, but I was afraid of Soviet soldier's long rifles. One Korean young man whispered me if I were a Korean. I nodded and explained him that as the Soviet soldier would absolutely kill the escaping man with wearing the Japanese military clothes, and asked him to gather the Soviet soldiers around there and to shout MANSE(means furray or blavo) or to hug them, then I would run with utmost effort with your young member on the best chance. He praised I was clever and persuaded one member to do so.

CHANCE did come.
4 or 5 young members gathered the Soviet soldiers and while they were hurray shouting or hugging and made them felt to uplift, a man signed to escape for me by lifting his left hand.
The youth waiting by me took my hand and started running at the full speed to the road under the dike of the river. After 200 meter escaping running, in rear of the big wood we embraced each other crying out for escaping.
It was deep emotion about our success of escaping.
Watching the 202 platoon which kept going away to the distance, I couldn't forget the human love for the soldiers of my colleagues.

Captured by military police;
1) My emotion when I wore the military clothes and acquired the insignia in 202 platoon.
2) A fear when we failed to blast attck the Soviet tank by Hikou bakurai tokkoutai (army Kamikaze) and retreated.
3) My emotion when we surrendered to the Soviet forces at Kilju.
4) The march for death ordered by Soviet soldiers who would shoot the dropout unconditionally.
5) The human love when I saw the civilian little baby's dead body.
6) Thanks for the youth in Hamhung who cooperated in a desperate escape.

Lee Jongdyun

- to be continued -