Kim Il Sung: From guerrilla leader to the supreme leader of North Korea, he single-handedly built the Kim dynasty
In September 1945, in a luxury estate somewhere in Pyongyang. A grand celebration is taking place. Suddenly, there was a commotion. I saw a middle-aged man with a small stature slowly walking up to the rostrum. The audience instantly erupted in thunderous applause and cheers. How did this unknown ordinary person suddenly become a hero admired by thousands of people? He is Kim Il Sung, a figure who is about to change the fate of the Korean Peninsula.
From an ordinary peasant boy to the supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Il Sung's life is legendary. Let's go back in time and see how this legend came to be.
On July 8, 1994, the city of Pyongyang was filled with wailing. The 82-year-old Kim Il Sung died suddenly of a heart attack, and the North Korean people mourned the loss of their "eternal president." In the streets, people cried as if they had lost their loved ones. What is the charm of this beloved leader?
To get this clear, we have to start at the beginning.
In 1912, in a farming family on the outskirts of Pyongyang, a baby boy fell to the ground and was named Kim Sung-ju. Who would have thought that this seemingly ordinary baby would become the king of a country in the future?
Kim Sung-joo's father was a poor farmer, but he had big ambitions. He named his son "Chengzhu" in the hope that his son could become a pillar of the country. This wish was finally fulfilled in an unexpected way.
Little Kim Sung-ju has lived in a family full of patriotic feelings since he was a child. His parents were staunch anti-Japanese activists. In order to escape the pursuit of the Japanese army, the family had to flee to northeastern China. This escape changed Kim Sung-joo's life.
Life in China is not easy. Kim Sung-joo has seen too much suffering and has too many ambitions. At the age of 13, he returned to his hometown in North Korea to go to school alone. Standing on the edge of the Yalu River, looking at the motherland on the other side, Xiao Jin Chengzhu secretly vowed, "If North Korea is not independent, I will not go back!" ”
This vow became the driving force of his life. Who would have thought that this emaciated teenager would become the supreme leader of North Korea in the future?
The turning point of fate came in 1931. After the outbreak of the "918 Incident", the 22-year-old Kim Sung-ju (who had changed his name to Kim Il-sung by this time) resolutely joined the Communist Party of China and formed his own anti-Japanese guerrilla force.
Between the white mountains and black waters, Kim Il Sung led the guerrillas to fight the Japanese army. They fought guerrillas, engaged in sabotage, and gathered intelligence, causing a lot of trouble to the Japanese army. Kim Il Sung's fame also grew, and he was called "General Kim Il Sung".
Interestingly, Kim Il Sung was not tall and mighty, but not tall and mediocre in appearance. But he was quick-witted and strategic, and soon made a name for himself among the partisans.
During those difficult years, Kim Il Sung not only honed his military talents, but also developed his political acumen. He organized secret reading clubs, disseminated Marxist-Leninist ideas, and even ran an underground periodical, Red Sun. These experiences laid the foundation for him to take power in the future.
However, after 1939, the Japanese army increased its repression on Tohoku. The partisans were forced to go on the defensive, and Kim Il Sung and others had to retreat to the Soviet Union. But he never gave up his determination to resist the Japanese, and continued to train during his time in the Soviet Union in preparation for his return to Korea.
In 1945, the wheels of history turned again. Japan surrendered, and Kim Il Sung returned to Korea with Soviet troops. The boy who vowed to recover his motherland finally set foot on his homeland after many years of absence.
Upon his return, Kim Il Sung quickly seized power in northern Korea. He founded the Workers' Party of Korea and formed a regular army, laying the foundation for the birth of New Korea. On September 9, 1948, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was formally established and Kim Il Sung became the country's supreme leader.
From then on, the northern part of the Korean Peninsula began the period of rule of the "Kim Dynasty". The former farmer's son has become the king of a country. Such a plot, I'm afraid even the storyteller who is the best at making up stories can't think of it, right?
As soon as Kim Il Sung came to power, he set about rebuilding the country. He put forward the general task of the transition to socialism, vigorously developing the economy, and at the same time did not abandon the dream of a unified peninsula.
However, against the backdrop of the Cold War, the road to reunification of the Korean Peninsula was full of bumps in the road. Kim Il Sung sent a representative to cross the 38th parallel and propose peaceful reunification to Korea, but was rejected. Relations between the two Koreas have fallen into a state of long-term standoff.
For the next few decades, Kim Il Sung firmly controlled North Korea. He established a unique system of rule, known as the "Juche Idea". Under his leadership, North Korea embarked on a different path of development.
Back in 1994, 82-year-old Kim Il Sung died suddenly of a heart attack. The people of the DPRK are deeply saddened by the loss of their "eternal president".
From an ordinary peasant boy to an anti-Japanese guerrilla leader, to the establishment of New Korea and his long-term rule, Kim Il Sung's life is full of legends. His political philosophy and way of governing have always been controversial, but his place in the hearts of the North Korean people is unshakable.
Some say he is a "national hero", others say he is a "dictator". Some praised him for leading the Korean people to independence, while others criticized his authoritarian rule. But it is undeniable that Kim Il Sung shaped North Korea today, and his influence will last for a long time.