I Became Stalin?!

Chapter 195

The Emperor’s Abolition!

No one knew where it came from, but the Soviet declaration to abolish the emperor hit the entire Japanese archipelago.

Major General Eisenhower, who became the US military governor of the Japanese archipelago on the recommendation of Marshal Chief of Staff and General MacArthur, had to face the anger of the US military administration area, or South Japan, that boiled every day.

“Damn it… again?”

“Yes, sir. We can’t stop them from sending letters…”

Of course, the Japanese were a thoroughly servile nation to the victors. 

They had experienced the great power of the two great powers with their whole body.

In the metropolises that had been hit by dozens of Soviet nuclear bombings, they did not even dare to raise their flags. 

The rural people who had experienced the US defoliant bombing and strategic bombing also knew their tremendous power well.

So they expressed their dissatisfaction in a strictly ‘restrained’ way.

They either wore rags in front of the US military administration building, sent blood letters, or did both. 

The US military police were on the verge of losing their minds as they had to clean up the corpses of people who had killed themselves in various gruesome ways every day.

“Wasn’t there any instruction from the homeland?”

“Not yet. It seems to be a serious debate in the homeland.”

The Japanese emperor was the head of the government who planned and approved Japan’s foreign wars, and whether he should be abolished or dragged by the military as he actually claimed.

In the homeland, they argued over which of the two claims was correct, and which one to adopt was beneficial.

Those who wanted to maintain the emperor argued that acknowledging the emperor would bring the majority of Japanese to the US side, and that the Soviet attempt to forcibly implant a republic would cause fierce backlash.

On the contrary, there was also an argument that if the emperor was not abolished, Japan would break out of the US control at some point and become militarized again. 

The maintainers argued that Japan no longer had the industrial base to militarize again.

It was a problem that had to be decided first where South Japan was in the Far East strategy.

‘China was corrupt, South Japan was a hostile country and its industrial base was devastated… Korea was… too pro-Soviet communist.’

Even if they got along well with the Soviet Union, they needed a junior partner in the local area to guarantee the US’s core interests in Asia, at least in the Western Pacific region.

First of all, China, which had been the US’s partner in the Sino-Japanese War, was suffering from extreme corruption. 

The ‘Four Families’, including Chiang Kai-shek, had embezzled and sold the materials that the US had aided and took care of their own interests, and as a result, Japan was able to easily defeat the Chinese army with its weak military power.

In addition, the US State Department officials were increasingly frustrated by Chiang Kai-shek, who continued to refuse the US mediation and only insisted on his own stubbornness.

“He must think we’re some kind of faucet. He can turn it on when he wants money and shut it off when he’s annoyed.”

“Chiang Kai-shek is incompetent! If he gives him full authority, China will be torn apart again and cause chaos.”

Especially, Stilwell, who had been Chiang Kai-shek’s adviser, criticized Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang government every time he met someone.

“Chiang Kai-shek must have eaten at least $100 million. 50% of the money we aided went into the pockets of Chiang Kai-shek and his cronies, and the other half of the 50% went into the pockets of corrupt generals. We’re just blowing up the pockets of the warlords with the blood and sweat of Americans.”

“Then what should we do?”

“We must hold a democratic election in China and elect a clean and competent leader who has the support of the Chinese people. Only that way can we replace Chiang Kai-shek’s corrupt government.”

When Chiang Kai-shek heard this news, he jumped up and said he would hand over the country to the communists, but the State Department still seriously considered Stilwell’s proposal.

Since the Chinese Communist Party had gained overwhelming support from the peasants by implementing a policy of free confiscation and distribution of land in the occupied areas, there was a possibility that they would advance more than their actual power in the general election, so the argument to push for the Chiang Kai-shek regime eventually won, but the US was increasingly distrustful of Chiang Kai-shek and his warlord followers.

“Our Republic of Korea is not a ‘red’ as the US thinks. Hahaha! Personally, I am a Presbyterian believer, and I don’t think radical leftist theory guarantees the welfare of all people.”

On the other hand, Yeoun-hyung, who was elected as the prime minister of the newly born Republic of Korea, was an attractive figure.

He was a very dignified figure for an Oriental, and he had a handsome Kaiser beard. He spoke fluent English in contact with US diplomats and won the favor of Americans.

The US State Department, which had regarded him as a native communist raised by the Soviet Union, was shocked.

“Our Republic of Korea will be a multi-party state. The Communist Party will participate in politics as one of them. We have no intention of suppressing other opinions. Of course, we will definitely expel the fascists who cooperated with imperialism from the political arena.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“We look forward to friendly cooperation with the US in the future. As a selected democratic country, the US is one of the ideals that the Republic of Korea should follow.”

Yeoun-hyung, who was fluent in English first, was more appealing than Chiang Kai-shek, who was accompanied by yes-men and spoke incomprehensible Chinese.

He had a charming smile and a US-style manner, and he easily won the favor of US diplomats who didn’t know much about the Far East, especially the Korean Peninsula.

In addition, the fact that the Republic of Korea, which was expected to fall into a one-party dictatorship by the Communist Party and become the Soviet Union’s front yard, advocated multi-party democracy, relieved the US State Department.

For some reason, the Soviet Union did not try to interfere with the internal affairs of the Republic of Korea. 

In the first free general election, the Christian Social Democratic Party led by Yeoun-hyung joined hands with the Korean Communist Party led by Park Heon-young and formed a coalition government, but they clearly drew a line from the Bolshevik-style proletarian dictatorship.

“But… will the Soviet-born soldiers stay still?”

“They are not Soviet troops, they only received some aid from the Soviet Union, such as equipment. General Kim Won-bong swore allegiance to the democratically and legally elected government, and our government trusts them thoroughly.”

The ‘National Foundation Preparation Committee’, which was mainly composed of the Korean Communist Party, led the Korean independence, but in the process of expanding into a mass party, many right-wing figures joined. 

After the constitutional assembly, the foundation was divided into left and right, and each split into the Korean Communist Party and the Christian Social Democratic Party.

Those who were worried that a coup would occur in the newly independent country were able to relieve their worries by seeing the declaration that the military would absolutely loyal to the civilian government.

However, Yeoun-hyung and the Republic of Korea government were not only conciliatory.

The cautious faction of the State Department also warned that the large-scale ‘purge’ of the concrete personnel by the new regime of the Republic of Korea was Stalinism.

“What is this ‘Anti-People’s Committee’? Communist figures participate in it…”

“Did you say that was Stalinism? Hahaha, Stalin Secretary-General is a grateful person, but I don’t intend to follow him in technical aspects. We only punish those who cooperated with Japanese imperialism while the Korean Peninsula was ruled by Japan for 35 years. If you want, you can send an observer from the US side.”

Even the most conservative people reported that the Republic of Korea had a high possibility of friendly cooperation with the United States as a result of the investigation.

“Actually, I hope the US will provide aid as a pretext to distance ourselves from the Soviet side. Because of the Soviet aid? The Soviet influence is too strong here. Hahaha! Please keep it a secret that I said this.”

“Is that so? Do you want the US aid in the Republic of Korea, is that what you’re saying?”

“That would be nice, but I wish we had a reason to get along well with the US. We think that there is a possibility of radicalization because of the help we received during the independence process and the many poor people.”

And that remark by Yeoun-hyung could drive a wedge into the US side.

A person who was known as a thorough communist who cooperated with the Soviet Union requests support to secretly get out of the Soviet influence?

The US, which was looking for a politically stable and economically uncorrupted partner in the Far East, rejoiced and started to run the factories that had started to decline in operation rate after the war.

***

“Comrade Secretary-General, is it okay for the situation to go like this?”

“Of course! We Soviet think that the current situation is the most ideal. We hope that the Republic of Korea will be a bridgehead for enhancing relations with the US.”

“Is that so…”

That meant that the Korean Peninsula was important as a buffer zone to prevent the US’s ‘extreme choice’.

The US chose the Republic of Korea as an external cooperation partner, but would they choose a confrontation with the Soviet Union, leaving the possibility that the US influence and invested assets here could all evaporate?

Would the shareholders who invested their money here leave it alone? The more buffer zones there were, the better.

There was a theory that had not yet come out in this era, but there was a saying that <countries that drink Coca-Cola and eat McDonald’s do not go to war with each other>.

That meant that if economic exchanges progressed to a certain extent, they would not enter a mutually destructive war for the sake of their homeland.

Think about it. You built a factory with cheap wages and friendly conditions, and then the war broke out and the facilities you built in that country flew away! How could the situation of trade being cut off and product prices rising be unfavorable to the US, which is aiming for the world market?

“Prime Minister, don’t worry and try to find the means necessary for the reconstruction and economic development of your country. We Soviet will help the peaceful development of Korea as much as possible.”

“Thank you. The Soviet Union must also have a hard time rebuilding after the war, thank you for helping me so much.”

“Hahaha, we have our own way.”

It’s true. 

The huge amount of money that the US sent in the form of aid and loans gave life to the Soviet national economy. At this rate, the goal of the fourth five-year plan would be far exceeded.

Considering the special situation of post-war reconstruction and overseas aid, they set a very high level of goals, but even if they invested in areas that did not directly affect productivity, the goal exceeded achievement.

“Anyway, I wish you all the best for the new Republic of Korea! For the eternal Soviet-Korean friendship and the advancement of socialist brother countries!”

“Thank you! I look forward to the next call.”

Of course, the Soviet influence will still be stronger in Korea.

Why? 

We did so much for them. 

It will take at least a generation to get rid of this ‘Soviet water’.