The most capable general of the Korean army in the Korean War was a lieutenant general of the Kuomintang army and a member of the Communist Party, on June 25, 1950, the day after the outbreak of the Korean War. Korea's military top brass held an emergency meeting to discuss strategies to deal with the invasion from the north. There was tension and bickering in the conference room. A gray-haired old general, his name was Kim Hongil.
[Kim Hong-il: From exiled student to legendary general of the Korean army]
Born in 1898 in northern Korea, Kim Hong-il moved his family to China at the age of 13. When he first arrived in China, he could not even speak Chinese, and he was bullied at school. But this stubborn North Korean teenager was not defeated, but was determined to become a soldier and avenge the motherland.
By chance, Jin Hongyi entered Guizhou Lecture Hall to study. The principal here was the later famous He Yingqin. He Yingqin took a fancy to this diligent and studious North Korean youth at a glance and became his Bole.
After graduating, Kim Hong-il joined the National Revolutionary Army and participated in the Northern Expedition. With his outstanding military talents, he rose all the way from platoon commander to colonel. However, Kim Hong-il always had the motherland in his heart and secretly provided weapons and intelligence for the Korean independence movement.
[From the Kuomintang general to the chief of the Korean army]
After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, Jin Hongyi showed his skills. He participated in many important battles, including the famous victory of Wanjialing. By the end of the war, he was already a lieutenant general in the Kuomintang army.
In 1948, Korea was founded. Kim Honghong was invited to return to China and was appointed as the first brigadier general of the Korea Army as soon as he returned. This veteran, who has fought in China for 30 years, has become the "anchor of the sea" of the Korea army.
However, not everyone welcomed Kim Hong-il. Some are jealous of his qualifications, others doubt his position. United States military advisers even complained about this disobedient old general. However, Kim Hong-il still went his own way and insisted on his military proposition.
[The outbreak of the Korean War: Kim Hong-il turned the tide]
On June 25, 1950, the Korean War broke out. The Korean army was losing ground one after another, and Seoul soon fell. At this critical moment, Kim Hong-il stepped forward and advocated the construction of a defense line on the Han River.
However, the young and vigorous top brass of the South Korean army did not buy it. Some people even made insulting remarks: "What do the generals of the Chinese army who retreated all day understand?"
Kim Hong-il did not argue, but silently came to the front. In the chaos, he relied on his years of war experience to form a temporary army on the south bank of the Han River.
This improvised patchwork force, under the command of Kim Hong-il, managed to withstand the People's Army for six days. These six days have won a precious opportunity for US military reinforcements and saved Korea from the fate of the country.
When MacArthur came to the front, he was surprised to find that Kim Hongyi had actually accomplished the "impossible mission". He immediately recommended Kim Hong-il to President Syngman Rhee.
[Retired after success: the founder of military education in Korea]
After the war, Kim Hong-il was appointed president of the Korea Army University. He poured his lifelong military experience into education and trained a large number of outstanding military talents for Korea.
Kim Hong-il's "Introduction to National Defense" became the cornerstone of Korea's military theory and was hailed as "Korea's version of "Sun Tzu's Art of War".
Although Kim Hong-il commanded combat in the Korean War for two months, he was recognized as one of the "Four Great Heroes of the Korean War." This evaluation is not only from Korea, but also recognized by United States. Kim Hong-il's life is like a legendary novel that spans half a century. He grew from a student who could not speak Chinese to a lieutenant general of the Kuomintang and finally to the founder of the Korea army.
In the turbulent years, Kim Hong-il has always maintained his loyalty to the motherland. His experience tells us that true patriotism is not just words, but must be proved by practical actions.
Today's Korea army can still see the imprint left by Kim Hong-il. Many of his students have become the backbone of the Korea military. And the teaching materials he compiled are still used in Korea military academies.
The story of Kim Hong-il is not only a legend of one person, but also a microcosm of a nation finding itself and rebuilding the country in turbulent times. His life witnessed the changes in modern East Asia, and also left a valuable spiritual wealth for future generations. #头条首发大赛#