Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it....
The Postdam Conference July 16th - August 2nd 1945 Postdam, Germany
It was at these conferences the "Big Three" leaders (Stalin, Truman, and Churchill) met to discuss the punishment to Germany after WW2. Also on the agenda was consolidating power after the void left by Japanese controlled Korea. Part of this consolidation of power was the drawing of the 38th parallel, splitting Korea roughly in half. After pushing Japan out of Korea, allied Russian troops remained in the north and American troops remained in the south. Northern Korea would remain under Communist Russia's influence while the south would go by way of capitalism, influenced by the west. Kim Il-sung will be installed as leader of the north by the Soviets. U.S. supported Syngman Rhee would be installed in the south.
South Korea declares Independence sparking the Korean War
The idea was that the two halves would reunite down the road. This would never happen though and the south would declare its independence from the north sparking The Korean War.
War Armistice Signed July 27th 1953 ending the Korean Conflict
The War Armistice was signed ending the bloody conflict giving us the borders between North and South Korea we have today. Virtually unchanged from the original parallels drawn at the Postdam Conference.
Part 2 will look at the industrial boom in South Korea of the 1960's to the designation of Kim Jung-il as Supreme Leader. Please Upvote and Subscribe. Thank you.