Welcome to the 4592nd issue of Shi Yuan's History Column. In the summer of 1953, an armistice was achieved on the Korean Peninsula, but it was impossible for the volunteers to immediately withdraw from the territory of Korea:If the U.S. and South Korean armies tear up the agreement and make a comeback, China and North Korea will be in an extremely disadvantageous position, and it will be very passive to resend troops at that time. Therefore, neither Beijing nor Pyongyang wants the squadron to withdraw quickly, and it is necessary to further observe the situation in the Far East. Hundreds of thousands of volunteer troops remained in the territory of the DPRK, and did not simply rest, but helped the DPRK and the people to restore their homeland, aided the construction of a large number of projects free of charge, and helped engage in agricultural production. From a military and civilian point of view, the two countries have indeed established a deep friendship.
However, the objective situation is constantly changing. By 1956, Kim Il-sung, the then leader of North Korea, no longer wanted more than 400,000 volunteers to continue to be stationed in North Korea, and hoped that the squadron would withdraw as soon as possible. The main reason, of course, is that the threat from the United States and South Korea is gradually weakening, and the long-term stationing of troops in powerful neighboring countries has made Kim Il Sung feel that his prestige and status have been affected. The North Korean authorities have deliberately stepped up their efforts: for example, in the war memorial in Pyongyang, only one of the 12 exhibition halls shows the support of the squadron, and the others emphasize only the "heroic fighting" of the Korean People's Army. And North Korea's *** gate is also actively active in the socialist camp, hoping to speed up China's withdrawal of troops.
The DPRK is a sovereign country, and our country has always been friendly with its neighbors, and not long ago it paid a large amount of blood for its volunteers. Therefore, the withdrawal of troops is inevitable, but the timing is not yet right. Kim Il Sung's personal concerns can be understood, but from the perspective of the interests of the two countries and the situation in the Far East, it is still necessary to garrison the troops for a period of time to observe, and when the conditions are ripe, the volunteers will naturally receive orders to withdraw to the country. For these situations, China has patiently explained to the DPRK many times.
But Kim Il Sung "couldn't wait", and in February 1958 he wrote a long letter to ***, demanding that the squadron withdraw from North Korea, which was quite harsh and unpleasant to read. The origins of China and the DPRK cannot be summed up by blindly emphasizing the sovereignty of the DPRK. Due to historical and geographical factors, many interests and hidden dangers of China and the DPRK are identical, and we should look at the issue from the perspective of linkage. Therefore, after reading this letter, many high-ranking cadres and generals of our country were dissatisfied with Kim Il Sung, believing that the other party's actions were somewhat "ungrateful."
At this time, *** didn't get angry, but shook the letter in his hand, and smiled at everyone: Don't make noise, the show won't start!What do you mean by "good show"?It turned out that before receiving this letter, the great man had already decided to withdraw all the volunteer units, and the time was set before the end of December 1958. After careful observation and analysis, it is judged that the situation on the peninsula has stabilized, and it is unlikely that another major war will break out: not long ago, the US and South Korean militaries held joint military exercises. ** It is believed that the voluntary withdrawal of the Volunteer Army to China at this time will make the hostile countries lose their scruples and reputations, and they will not dare to approach the 38th parallel, which is a kind of balance of power and pattern.
In addition, at the end of 1957, China's "First Five-Year Plan" was completed ahead of schedule, and a large number of volunteers returned to China, just so that they could be transferred to work and put into productionThe DPRK side has repeatedly made relevant requests, and if we achieve this before the end of the year, it will help ensure friendship between the two countries and avoid unnecessary disputes. From all angles, the withdrawal is not an embarrassing thing, but the beginning of a "good show". ** The consideration is very accurate and far-reaching. On October 26, 1958, the complete withdrawal of troops was completedAt the beginning of 1959, the volunteer army was abolished at all levels.
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