How did the Kim's come to power?

       

       Kim Il Sung coming to power was in some aspects an accident. When the USSR was in power in the 70's, they were controlling the area now known as North Korea. When they pulled out of the country, they appointed Kim Il Sung the leader of the Country. He was already a commander in Mao Zedong's army so he did have some background of leadership. When The USSR selected him though, they apparently had put the names of all of the other commanders and generals in the Mao Zedong army in a hat and just pulled a name. Unfortunately for North Korea, Kim Il Sungs' name was the one that got pulled. 

Kim Jong-Il (right)
Kim Yong-Ju (left)

         For his first few years in office, he held soviet support and was backed by the Red Army. Soon after the Russians decided that he had managed to build his own country enough to with dram their support of him. Just two years after he lost the support of the Red Army, the Korean War began. There is a lot of speculation that the reason the Korean War began was because Kim Il Sung was majorly abusing his power and making moves that threatened South Korea. The United States backed the South Korean Army, and China backed the North Korean Army. The Korean War is technically not over yet. The North, and South agreed to a cease fire and a demilitarized zone (DMZ) was created at the world’s 38th parallel.

Kim Sung-Il 

          Kim Sung Il was a fairly successful leader of his country until he died of a heart attack in 1994. When he died, his son, Kim Jong Il, took power and is still ruling the country today. Kim Jong Il has turned out to be a monster to his people. He has started to use public executions to fear his constituents into giving him power. He even executed his Uncle and his uncle’s entire family because he feared that he was going to undermine his rule and over throw him. Kim Jong-Il's uncle was his leading adviser. 

         Now North Korea's leader is power crazy and is increasingly more threatening to the rest of the world. He is building his army, and especially focusing on his nuclear program. Even though The United States says that he does not have the resources that he says he has, he is still a very dangerous person and the situation should be treated as though he is a terrorist with the intent to harm the American well being. I will be a wild ride seeing that Kim Jong-Il decides to do in the future.