The year is 1945, Japan has lost the second world war. As per post-war negotiations, Japanese annexation of Korea has halted. The U.S. has begun occupation of the southern Korean peninsula, and as a countermeasure, the Soviet Union in the North. Amidst tensions, a negotiation is reached to divide the country along the 38th parallel. Borders are established, families become separated and resources are divided among the two. The North, having just been under Japanese rule, is desperate for a natural born leader; a tried and true "hero" of the battlefield, someone capable of leading a nation. Russia, with eyes set on control of the region, is more than happy to oblige. From zero to hero, the USSR worked tirelessly to create an image for Kim Il Sung that was befitting of a leader. A leader, that would one day leave a legacy that would cripple a Nation.
The focus of my paper will be directed at the creation of the puppet North Korean dictator fashioned by the USSR. My goal is to reveal a more authentic picture of Kim Il Sung, one devoid of Russian or North Korean propaganda. By using interviews from Russian ministry officials and statements from Red Army veterans, I hope to separate fact from fiction and achieve a better understanding of the military/civilian life of Kim Il Sung (prior to his pre-election image). I believe this paper will offer insight, not only into the life of Il-Sung, but also into the methods employed in establishing a puppet leader, as well as the effects of creating a cult of personality.
For those of you who may be interested in learning more about the current state of North Korea, I'd recommend reading: Escape from Camp 14. This book highlights the hardships endured in the daily lives of people living in the North Korean labor camps. For the time-constrained, here is a short twelve minute video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdxPCeWw75k.
Whenever I think of puppet regimes, I always seem to think of America being behind it like its attempt in Vietnam in the sixties. North Korea itself is such a taboo subject. It's going to be exciting to see where it goes.
ReplyDeleteHey Cameron, very interesting topic. Dr. Leinaweaver, one of the political science professors here at Drury, once asked a similar question in a class. He said, "Surely you guys don't think Kim Jung-Un is stupid enough to think that North Korea can take on the entire world? So what is he actually trying to accomplish with his threats and the way he's running his country?" The "real-life" of dictators and what they think about is such an unique topic. I hope to get to read your paper at the end of the semester.
ReplyDeleteHi Cameron,
ReplyDeleteYou should have majored in history my friend! What a great and impressive condensed history of the Korean War!
I'm quite impressed by the scope of this project. Going beyond both primary and secondary sources which have been purposefully crafted to create an image will be no small task. But what a worthwhile project. I myself read Escape from Camp 14 my sophomore year, and was stunned. There is also a documentary version on Netflix.
If you're interested in other primary source accounts of life inside North Korea, I highly recommend the book Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick. It's a great journalistic approach to many of your same questions.
Wow, nice topic choice Cameron!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to the 'unveiling' of Il Sung, but more than that I'm glad that you are also aiming to understand how a puppet dictator is developed and the impact of that on the relevant state. It's one thing to try to figure out what the man really was like (though a big thing), and another thing to look out how his image was created and how it's impacted a nation.
I look forward to seeing this project progress and discussing it with you!
Keep thinking of how you will be able to create a portrait devoid of propaganda. You may not be able to do that--but it will depend on your sources. The paper will still have many useful sources, and may even be a discussion of presentation through propaganda. In any case, you will work on this in the next few weeks! Nice image--where is it from?
ReplyDelete