The Korean Anti-Japanese Struggle and Kim Il Sung’s Rise to Power

The Korean Anti-Japanese Struggle and Kim Il Sung’s Rise to Power

A Korean serving in the Soviet army during World War II, who went from officer to Supreme Leader of his country, is one piece of frequently overlooked history. Kim Il Sung went from becoming a leader of a small group of ragtag rebels fighting against the Japanese in Manchuria, to becoming a Soviet officer, and eventually gaining the favor of Moscow in order to ascend to power. Through propaganda and outright lies about his history in the Anti-Japanese guerilla movement, he has managed to keep a stranglehold on power in his country for his entire lifetime and in his name for more than fifty years.

Throughout it’s history Korea had, for the most part, been under the control of the Chinese dynasties that had let it remain some what free of direct Chinese rule, but never the less a part of the Chinese Empire. In the first years of the 20th century, there was an intense rivalry between Russia and Japan for control of the peninsula. Both powers had invested in industrial and transportation systems in Korea. Both powers were interested in the vast supply of minerals that were available in the mountainous northern regions bordering Manchuria, especially Russia. Because of Japans increasing expansionist behavior, Russia and China agreed to cooperate to limit the spread of Japanese influence. Under one agreement, Russia was granted territorial rights in Manchuria and therefore a firm foothold in the region. Because of this Russia created a large railroad network linking their mines in Northern Korea, Manchuria and Russian soil (KSA). The rivalry between these two powers culminated in the Russo-Japanese war in 1904. Japan won this conflict by launching a surprise attack on the Russian fleet at Port Arthur and surprised the entire world by becoming the first Asian power to defeat a ‘great power’ (Savada 25). The peace treaty was signed in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1905. In the treaty, Russia...