Korea was a part of the Japanese empire between 1910 to 1945. The dynastic kingdom- Joseon Korea had signed the Japan-Korean Treaty in 1876 and formed a coalition with the Meiji government of Japan. Through the treaty, Japan had indirect control of Korea as it also gave protection to it, followed by the annexation of Korea by Japan in 1910. This annexation was arbitrary and without the consent of the Korean emperor. 

  As with any other colonization in the world, it too was a brutal one. People were exploited by the Japanese army. Industrialization was accelerated in Korea to benefit Japan. Soon they also attacked Korean history and culture. The environment too was exploited. Soon, the need for a freedom movement became palpable. Many rallies took place throughout the nation after the death of the Korean emperor as there was widespread suspicion that he was poisoned. The Japanese violently responded to these protests and subsequently suppressed the movement. An estimated 2 million people participated in the country-wide protests and about 7000 people were killed by the Japanese forces during the 1 year. According to the Korean reports, almost 50,000 people were arrested and 16000 wounded.

  Following the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered to the Allied forces on 15 August 1945, ending 35 years of Japanese occupation. American forces under General John R. Hodge arrived at the southern part of the Korean Peninsula on 8 September 1945, while the Soviet Army and some Korean Communists had stationed themselves in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. U.S. Colonel Dean Rusk proposed to Chischakov, the Soviet military administrator of northern Korea, that Korea should be split at the 38th parallel. This proposal was made at an emergency meeting to determine post-war spheres of influence, which led to the division of Korea. After the surrender of Japan on 15 August 1945, the United States and the Soviet Union divided Korea along the 38th parallel into two zones of occupation. The Soviets (Russia and allies) administered the northern zone and the Americans administered the southern zone. Post World War 2, the Cold war began. It was an ideological war between Communism of Russia & allies and The Capitalism of the USA. 

  The Soviet Army crossed the borders and attacked South Korea in June 1950. The UN denounced this as arbitrary and an invasion. Soon the UN sent their forces to help the South Korean army and counter the attack. Twenty-one countries of the United Nations eventually contributed to the UN force, with the United States providing around 90% of the military personnel. Russia, too, sent in more forces to help the North Korean attack. The South, backed by UN and US forces, was successful in defending and driving the invading forces out. Post this, they invaded the north. China too joined the war and backed its ideological ally- Russia and helped the North. The Chinese army invaded the South but was pushed back to positions around the 38th parallel from where it all started. The North had to face immense American bombing. Many civilians died. The backbone of the northern army was broken. This war which started in June 1950 ended in July 1953. Approximately 3 million people died in the Korean War, the majority of whom were civilians, making it perhaps the deadliest conflict of the Cold War era. Compounding this devastation for Korean civilians, virtually all of the major cities on the entire Korean Peninsula were destroyed as a result of the war. The May 1953 bombing of major North Korean dams threatened several million more North Koreans with starvation, although large-scale famine was averted with emergency aid provided by North Korea’s allies. North Korea was the country most devastated by the war, which resulted in the death of an estimated 12%–15% of the North Korean population (appox. 10 million), “a figure close to or surpassing the proportion of Soviet citizens killed in World War 2”, according to Charles K. Armstrong. Post-war, South Korea took comparatively less time to recover. As America was an ally, South Korea grew on the principles of Capitalism and Democracy while, North Korea, having the Soviet Union as an ally, moved ahead with Communism, and no sooner it turned into a dictatorship. People’s life there is miserable. No freedom of speech, expression. No press freedom. South Korea, on the other hand, is very democratic and is one of the fastest-growing economies. But South Korea is constantly at threat of war with the North. With the dictator of North Korea having now initiated many nuclear tests, even the US is under a threat of attack. North Korea was devastated to a great extent by the south and the US. The hatred of the North Koreans and the dictator himself towards these two is very evident.

LAKSHAGRAHA (the lac house)

After the deaths of Pandu and Madri the Pandavas with their mother Kunti return back to the Hastinapur palace. Yudhishthira is Crowned Prince of Hastinapur by Dhritarashtra.But  Dhritarashtra also wanted his son Duryodhana to crowned as the king of Hastinapur.

Uncle Shakuni, Duryodhana, and Dushasana plan to get rid of the Padu’s Son the Pandavas. Shakuni ask architect Purochana to build the palace which can catch fire easily. He then requests for the Pandavas and Mother Kunti to stay there and plan to set it alight. However, after all this incident set by the Shakuni, Duryodhana and Dushasana the Pandavas escape with the help of  their wise uncle,Vidur. They escaped to safety and go into hiding. During this time one of the Pandava’s brother Bhima marries Hidimbi who was a demon, and they had a child son named Ghatotkacha. And in Hastinapur, the Pandavas and Kunti were declared to dead.

DRAUPATI’S MARRIAGE

During the period when the Pandavas was hiding, got to find the swayamvara of the princess of Pancala Draupati. The Pandavas witness the event being as bharmhin. Meanwhile, Krishna and Draupati became good fridends, and tells her to look out for Arjuna (which was considered to be dead). The competion was shoot a target on the ceiling, on the eye of a moving artificial fish while looking at the reflection of the fish in oil below., Karna proceeds to the attempt but by Draupadi refuses to marry a. After all this the swayamvara got opened to all the Brahmins hence the Arjuna wins the competion and marries Draupadi. The Pandavas return home and Arjuna inform their mother about what he have won in the copetion and what they have got after winning  the competion. Without even looking at anyone, Kunti asks them to share whatever Arjuna has won among all five brother. Thus, Draupadi ends up being marrying and being wife of all five brothes.

INDRAPRASTHA

After being married, the Pandava werecalled up in the Hastinapura. The Kuru family didn’t liked that the Pandavas got married to one lady at a time hence his made all five brother and Draupati to leave the kindom and led them to build their own kingdom at Indraprastha.

Soon after this, Arjuna seceratly marries Krishna’s sister, Subhadra.

As times passed the Pandavas built their new palace for them, They also  invite their Kaurava cousins to Indraprastha, Duryodhan seeing a pond and assumes it will not have any water in it and falls in. All Pandava brothers (except Yudhishthira) everyone laughed at him including Draupadi. Furious by the insult, and jealous at seeing the wealth of the Pandavas, Duryodhana decides to arrange a dice-game as suggested by Shakuni.

THE GAME OF DICE

Shakuni, Kaurava’s uncle, arranges a dice game,played against Pandavas elder brother Yudhishthira. In the game of dice, Yudhishthira loses all his wealth, then his kingdom. And then he also gambles his brothers, himself, and finally his wife Draupati. The Kauravas then get chance to take their revenge for Duryodhan’s insult and this leads to disrobe Draupadi in front of the entire court, but this disrobe is prevented by Krishna, who magically made her saree endless, therefore it couldn’t be removed.

After all  Duryodhana says there is no place for two crown princes in Hastinapura. Hence Dhritarashtra orders for another game of dice. After the second game of dice now the Pandavas are required to go into exile for 12 years, and in the 13th year, they must remain hidden. And if they were seen by any kaurava in their 13^th year of exile, then they again have to go for 12 year of exile.

THE KURUKSHETRA BATTLE.

Soon after the completion of 13 years of exile, the Pandavas return back to Hastinapur.

The battle took place because of the disrespect of the Draupati in the court during dice game.She wanted not to repeat this injustice and torture to any other women in the Hastinapur.Hence lord Krishna was always with the Panadav and guided them during the war. The war was of 18 days. At the end of the 18-day battle, only the Pandavas,Yuyutsu, Ashwatthama and Krishna survive. Yudhisthir becomes King of Hastinapur and Gandhari curses Krishna that he will also face the same situation as she faced.

THE END