In 1958, the leader of Kim Il Sung and the Chinese leaders had two ** communications on the withdrawal of the volunteers. Since the outbreak of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Chinese volunteers have been stationed in Korea for eight years. During this period, the Volunteers not only supported the DPRK militarily and repelled the invaders, but also helped the DPRK to carry out a lot of reconstruction work economically.
When Kim Il Sung resolutely demanded the withdrawal of troops, many people were puzzled and dissatisfied, wondering whether Kim Il Sung had the intention of "crossing the river and demolishing the bridge". But in this regard, ** did not show anger. After carefully reading Kim Il-sung's letter and the documents submitted by the North Korean side, he calmly told the staff: "A wonderful drama is about to be staged." ”
It is considered that Kim Il Sung's request is reasonable and should be met. There was no withdrawal because the time was not yet ripe, but now that the situation in North Korea has stabilized, Chinese volunteers should not be permanently stationed in other countries. In fact, before Kim Il Sung made a request for the withdrawal of troops, ** had reached a tacit agreement with him to gradually withdraw the volunteer army in 1958.
Since the signing of the armistice agreement in 1953, the long-term presence of volunteers in Korea has actually been a special case. Although the armistice agreement has been in force, it is difficult for the volunteers to withdraw with peace of mind, given that the United ** is still moving on the Korean border. The U.S. has a track record of tearing up the agreement, so China fears that once the volunteers withdraw, the U.S. military may attack again.
At that time, the impasse between the United ** and the Volunteer Army had not been broken. This protracted standoff has caused enormous attrition on both sides, so both sides are waiting for the right moment. In 1958, the situation showed signs of deterioration as the United States and South Korea began joint large-scale military exercises. Despite the fact that the military exercises did not cross the 38th parallel, Kim Il Sung was still uneasy.
Kim Il Sung's request to withdraw troops was actually motivated by concerns about North Korea's security. He believes that once China withdraws its troops, the United States will lose the excuse to station troops near the 38th parallel, and the situation may be stabilized as a result. Within the U.S. military, there are also many soldiers who have expressed opposition to the long-term stationing. They lack the ideals and beliefs of the volunteers, and if they have to continue to be stationed, the American soldiers are likely to be dissatisfied.
Deeply understanding Kim Il Sung's considerations, he resolutely agreed to his request. This decision not only reflects a deep understanding of the situation in North Korea, but also demonstrates the wisdom and foresight of the Chinese leadership in the international political arena.
During the period of history from the end of the Korean War to the retreat of the Chinese Volunteers, the leaders of Kim Il Sung had mixed attitudes towards the existence of the Chinese Volunteers. His request for withdrawal, although seemingly simple on the surface, actually hides deep political considerations.
After the armistice agreement signed in 1953, the continued presence of Chinese volunteers in Korea played an important role in the reconstruction of Korea. The volunteers not only participated in large-scale infrastructure construction, such as the construction of bridges, houses, and canals, but also carried out a large number of tree planting and medical assistance work, which greatly helped the North Korean people.
These contributions have fostered a deep friendship between the Korean people and the volunteers. In the more than five years after the war, the volunteers selflessly helped the Korean people and won widespread respect and gratitude from the Korean people. The dedication of the volunteer soldiers in the reconstruction work has also left many heartwarming stories, such as the scenes of women and children in rural North Korea bringing water and food to them.
But in the minds of the North Korean leadership, especially Kim Il Sung, the attitude towards the volunteers is more complicated. On the one hand, he realized that without the help of the volunteers, North Korea could not keep the peace;On the other hand, the presence of the Volunteer Army also made him uneasy. While Kim Il Sung was grateful for China's assistance, he was also concerned that the powerful military could affect North Korea's independence and sovereignty.
The contradictions between Kim Il Sung and Chinese leaders are also a manifestation of this complex relationship. ** was the commander of the Volunteer Army, but Kim Il Sung had tried to ask to take over the command of the Volunteer Army, a request that reflected Kim Il Sung's misgivings about Chinese aid and his desire for control of the army. ** Angry at this, believing that in an emergency war, Kim Il Sung should not dwell on the issue of command.
During the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Kim Il Sung showed a clear ambivalence about the command of the Chinese volunteers. Although Kim Il Sung wanted to gain command of the Volunteer Army, he actually lacked the experience to command such a large army. This fact made Marshal *** dissatisfied with Kim Il Sung's demands and had a firm disagreement with Kim Il Sung on this issue.
It was insisted that handing over the command of the volunteer army to the inexperienced Kim Il Sung was an irresponsible act for the fighters. The stalemate between the two sides on this issue eventually attracted the attention of the Soviet side, and the Soviet delegation even intervened to mediate the matter. The Soviet side made it clear that the command of the Volunteer Army in support should be in the hands of China. Faced with the unanimous position of China and the Soviet Union, Kim Il Sung finally had to abandon his demands.
In the course of the war, some of Kim Il Sung's decisions and demands also troubled ***. For example, after the capture of Seoul by the Volunteers, Kim Il Sung asked to continue the pursuit, but *** firmly opposed the move, considering the pressure of logistical supplies. Another example is that at the end of 1952, the two sides were close to the negotiation stage, and in order to gain the advantage of negotiations, the two sides were still fighting fiercely. At this time, however, Kim Il Sung wanted to stop fighting, fearing that the continuation of the war would make it more difficult for North Korea to rebuild itself. These contradictory demands made *** angry, believing that Kim Il Sung had made the wrong decision at a critical moment.
Still, with *** in command, he was able to deploy according to his own strategy. But these events deepened the contradictions between *** and Kim Il Sung and affected Kim Il Sung's attitude towards the Chinese volunteers after the war.
The course of the war showed that North Korea gradually became a supporting player throughout the war, and the bloody struggle of the Chinese volunteers became the key. Without the support of the volunteers, Kim Il Sung's army would have been unable to resist for a long time, and the Korean Peninsula would have fallen into the hands of the US military long ago. However, it was precisely because of the great merits of the volunteers that Kim Il Sung was uneasy about this, fearing that China's excessive influence in North Korea could threaten North Korea's independence and autonomy.
In the years after the end of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Kim Il Sung's attitude towards the Chinese volunteers presented a contradictory and complex psychology. While it is an indisputable fact that the volunteers made a huge contribution to North Korea, Kim Il Sung seems to feel that his status and prestige as the country's leader have been compromised. He seems to think that a leader who relies on foreign power for victory can effectively rule and lead the country.
The situation mentioned in a report of the Soviet Union to Stalin in 1955 indirectly reflected this mentality of Kim Il Sung. The report notes that the contribution of the Chinese Volunteers in the Korean War is displayed relatively rarely in the war exhibition hall in Pyongyang, while the combat operations of the Korean People's Army are highlighted. This not only shows Kim Il Sung's intention to reduce the contribution of volunteers in propaganda, but also his attempt to portray the Korean People's Army as the main force in the war among the North Korean people.
With the signing of the armistice agreement, the contradictions between China and North Korea began to intensify. On the issue of the withdrawal of troops, ** and Kim Il Sung have obvious differences. ** Clearly aware of the potential threat to the United States, insisting that there can be no rush to withdraw troops. Kim Il Sung was also worried about the threat from the United States and hoped that the volunteers would stay there for a longer time. As a result, there were still about 440,000 Chinese volunteers stationed in Korea until 1956.
In the past few years, the volunteers have not only been prepared to guard against the United States, but have also actively participated in the reconstruction of North Korea, and their daily work has been extremely busy. However, as time went on, Kim Il Sung's doubts resurfaced. He began to worry about the impact of the long-term presence of Chinese volunteers on North Korea's sovereignty and independence.
In the mid-50s of the 20th century, the presence of Chinese volunteers in North Korea caused deep concern for Kim Il Sung. The rumor circulating at the time was that the Volunteer Army seemed to have "taken over" Pyongyang. While this claim may be an exaggeration, it does reveal the far-reaching influence and popularity of the volunteer army among the local population. The original mission of the volunteers was to help Korea defend itself against aggression and to defend the city, and they had no intention or action to actually take over the management of the city. However, the active performance of the volunteer army in helping to maintain social order can be misinterpreted as control over Pyongyang.
Kim Il Sung was increasingly uneasy about the popularity and influence of the volunteers. He feared that it would weaken his authority and the independence of North Korea, especially among the population. Moreover, the United States is also taking advantage of this psychological unease. The United States faced a strategic dilemma: the cost of continuing to fight was enormous, and withdrawing troops would mean relinquishing influence. Therefore, they began to stir up tension in Sino-North Korean relations by hyping up the presence of volunteers in North Korea.
Kim Il Sung even turned to the Soviet Union for help, hoping to induce the withdrawal of Chinese troops through external forces, while at the same time maintaining good relations with China and avoiding the potential problems caused by the prolonged presence of volunteers. However, the Soviet Union did not support this request of Kim Il Sung. The Soviets understood that forcing China to withdraw its troops at this time could lead North Korea into the strategic trap of the United States.
Kim Il Sung, in the face of Soviet opposition, began to reconsider the issue. As the leader of the country, he gradually realized that the presence of volunteers was essential to maintaining stability in North Korea, so he put up with the situation for the time being. But given Kim Il-sung's political calculations, the issue of troop withdrawal eventually entered his considerations.
By 1958, it was decided that the right time had come for the withdrawal of troops. As the global political situation changes, the United States' military involvement capability is much less than before. China's withdrawal strategy not only helps to force the United States to withdraw its troops as well, but it is also a consideration of Kim Il Sung's psychological feelings.
Over the past few years, there has been constant friction between China, North Korea, and the Soviet Union over the issue of military garrisons. The original intention of the Chinese Volunteers was to defend the country and the people, and this goal has been basically achieved. Further extension of the garrison may exacerbate the contradictions between China and North Korea. Therefore, ** after receiving the letter from Kim Il Sung, he was quite happy, because it meant that the volunteers could retire with honor and return to their hometown.
China's withdrawal not only relieved Kim Il Sung, but also allowed China to devote more resources and energy to the construction and development of the country. ** Regard this as a new beginning, which heralds the further development of China-DPRK relations and China's move towards a new stage of development.
In 1958, the Chinese Volunteers began a large-scale withdrawal operation. It was not until October 26 that the last group of volunteers left North Korea. Although there were frictions and clashes during the garrison, the two sides were more reluctant to say goodbye. In order to express their gratitude to the volunteers, the DPRK organized a grand farewell ceremony, and tens of thousands of North Koreans gathered at the railway station to pay their last respects to the volunteer soldiers.
In this war, some volunteer soldiers did not survive, and their bodies are laid to rest on Korean soil. The Korean people have been passed down from generation to generation and guard the graves of these heroes. After many years, the remains of these volunteer soldiers were brought back to China one after another and buried in their homeland. From North Korea to China, although the journey home is long, one day, they will all be able to return.
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