Leaders of the Communist Forces and Countries
Kim Il-Sung
Kim Il-Sung was the leader of North Korea during and after the Korean War.
In his youth, Kim Il-Sung led a Korean anti-Japanese guerrilla force. He had to flee Korea in the late 1930s, and when he returned he worked to become North Korea's first leader, and later its only president. He remained in power until his death in 1994, when his son Kim Jong Il took over as leader. Interestingly, North Korea's updated constitution, which was passed in 1998, permanently assigned the position of president to Kim Il-Sung, which means that, despite being dead, he is technically still in power today.
As expected from a communist leader, Kim Il-Sung was a harsh authoritarian leader, repressing opposition by force and creating a personality cult. He also was successful in steering his country towards isolationism, self-sufficiency, and industrialization. He was not successful, however, in the thing that caused him to start the Korean War - his wish to reunify Korea was not fulfilled.
In his youth, Kim Il-Sung led a Korean anti-Japanese guerrilla force. He had to flee Korea in the late 1930s, and when he returned he worked to become North Korea's first leader, and later its only president. He remained in power until his death in 1994, when his son Kim Jong Il took over as leader. Interestingly, North Korea's updated constitution, which was passed in 1998, permanently assigned the position of president to Kim Il-Sung, which means that, despite being dead, he is technically still in power today.
As expected from a communist leader, Kim Il-Sung was a harsh authoritarian leader, repressing opposition by force and creating a personality cult. He also was successful in steering his country towards isolationism, self-sufficiency, and industrialization. He was not successful, however, in the thing that caused him to start the Korean War - his wish to reunify Korea was not fulfilled.
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also known as Mao Tse-tung, was the leader of communist China during the Korean War.
After a long road to power, Mao Zedong became the Chairman of the People's Republic of China in 1949. He had no practical experience in running a country, which meant that he desperately needed the aid of the USSR, both financially to build factories and also with advice, to create five-year plans and model the government off of that of the USSR. To get this support, however, Mao Zedong needed to gain Stalin's support, which he did by proving himself by helping a fellow Communist state in the Korean War.
Of course, another reason why Mao Zedong intervened in the Korean War is because he feared that the US might conquer China and remove communism there, thus destroying his life's accomplishments.
After a long road to power, Mao Zedong became the Chairman of the People's Republic of China in 1949. He had no practical experience in running a country, which meant that he desperately needed the aid of the USSR, both financially to build factories and also with advice, to create five-year plans and model the government off of that of the USSR. To get this support, however, Mao Zedong needed to gain Stalin's support, which he did by proving himself by helping a fellow Communist state in the Korean War.
Of course, another reason why Mao Zedong intervened in the Korean War is because he feared that the US might conquer China and remove communism there, thus destroying his life's accomplishments.