People's Court

     Revolutions, as a rule, have a way of bringing out the worst of human traits.  Usually, there is some bloodletting when the victors takes over.  Rarely do we find victors in a revolution displaying compassion and fair treatment of the vanquished, although it has been known to happen.  Our own revolution was somewhat of an unusual one, since there really wasn't any bloodletting or other violence that followed.  The French Revolution brought about the act of beheading to an art form.  Another thing that was common place during the French Revolution was the impromptu court system, a kangaroo court that was used to condemn and behead many people.  The Russian Revolution that took place in the early 20th Century refined this "impromptu" or kangaroo court system and even came up with a new name to give it legitimacy, "People's Court."
     In "People's Court," not to be confused with the TV reality court shows, an accused individual is dragged out into the streets and a crowd is ordered to gather around.  Then after rattling off charges against the individual, the crowd is ordered to pass judgment on the accused, guilty or not guilty.  Usually the crowd is so intimidated by the "arresting" officials (police or soldiers), that they automatically respond the way they think they are supposed to respond - guilty.  At this point the accused individual is usually, to the horror of the crowd (jury), is shot on the spot!  The Bolsheviks carried out these "People's Courts" throughout the revolution and the civil war that followed.  The Chinese communists picked up this little game from the Russians and they too practiced it quite frequently during their civil war from 1945 to 1949.  However, once the revolution/civil war was over, this practice stopped, although a modified form was used during China's Cultural Revolution.  During the Cultural Revolution, the same "court system" was employed but the guilty verdict did not bring about execution.  Mostly a guilty verdict meant imprisonment.
     During their short three month occupation of South Korea, the North Korean Army, the In-min-gun (People's Army) conducted "People's Courts" frequently.  I mention this in the chapter dealing with North Korean occupation of the south in The Manchurian Tales.  They used it mainly as a form of intimidation of the population.  The idea was to get absolute obedience from the population.  "People's Courts" were carried out in the streets of Seoul and other cities under North Korean occupation.  There was no imprisonment for the guilty, they were simply shot on the spot.  People were dragged out into the street and shot for the most minor of offenses!  Anyone who had anything at all to do with South Korean government or Americans was a prime candidate for "People's Court" and a bullet in the back of the head.  It is amazing how many people North Koreans managed to kill this way during their short three month occupation of the south! 
     Unfortunately, this mentality and attitude still persists with the North Koreans, starting with their "Great Leader" Kim Jung Un, on down to the private soldier in the North Korean People's Army.  Do you wonder what kind of a court Kim Jung Un's uncle faced before he was shot?  I'll bet it was "People's Court" with a specially selected jury!  It is, therefore, mind boggling to think that we still have hope of coming to some sort of an understanding with such people.
     During Vietnam War, the Viet Cong quite often used People's Court as a form of intimidation in the villages.  However, they didn't bother to ask for a verdict from the crowd, I guess the VC didn't believe in the jury system, they simply shot or beheaded their target.  However, once the communists took over the whole country, they tried the "re-education" approach rather than execution!  Like the Chinese communists, once they took over the country, they too tried a less violent approach.  Don't count on the North Koreans to become "softer" and "gentler" should they take over!  It would be a major mistake to think that the North Koreans are like the South Koreans, that they only happen to be located in the north and under communist rule.  They can become like the people in the south, but not without some serious "re-education," starting with kids in elementary schools!  Although no doubt many would gladly change sides, by now the population of North Korea has lived under the same system for over a half a century.  Three generations of people are products of this system.  It will take a lot of work!