The Korean War: Product of Conflicting Ideologies

... Il-sung, took his name from a legendary Korean guerilla who, like himself, had fought the Japanese.(19) After defeat in Manchuria by the Japanese, Kim joined the Soviet army. In the Battle of Stalingrad (August 1942 - February 1943), Kim was a captain who served with honor for the Soviets. The Soviets recognized his contributions and when Kim Il-sung returned to Pyongyang, Korea, he was recognized as a "national hero". On October 15, the North Korean Bureau was instituted and Kim Il-sung became the First Secretary of the 4,530 member group. Once in office he started to sway the Koreans to follow the ideals of communism by forming regional Communist factions. Kim's persuasiveness led to violent disturbances between opposing political factions in North Korea. The deaths from these discords amounted to more than 1,000. Kim Il-sung supported the callous removal of nationalists from North Korea for the reason that they opposed the system and if he were to be in an election, the nationalists may ruin his chance to govern Korea.(20) As a result the North Koreans lived under an "atmosphere of fear… a new form of terrorism"(21). The government that the Soviets had installed and their policies perpetuated and heightened the magnitude of oppression under which the Koreans lived. Tension among the people and anxiety began to lead them to rebel. With the assistance of Major General Romanenko, Kim Il-sung fortified his reputation with the Soviets. In February 1946, the North Korean Provisional People's Committee replaced the Five Provinces Administration Bureau and became the central government of North Korea: Kim Il-sung became the chairman. By August 1946, the group had merged with the New People's Party, renamed themselves The North Korean Workers' Party, and within a year their affiliates totaled more than half a million.

The first of a series of elections being held in November of 1947 resulted with supporters of Kim Il-sung taking most of the positions. This improved the opportunity of Kim being elected as leader of the government. So on September 3, 1948, when Kim was elected as premier of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), he was not shocked. (22) The Rise of Syngman Rhee, Leader of The Republic of Korea

In 1945, the majority of Koreans did not hold right-wing political ideologies. Most of the nation wanted an extremely different regime than the one that Ja ...