First Republic of Korea in the context of "Soviet Civil Administration"

Kim Il Sung (born Kim Song Ju; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician, and dictator who founded North Korea, which he led as its first supreme leader from its establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. Afterwards, he was succeeded by his son Kim Jong Il and was declared Eternal President.

He held the posts of Premier of North Korea from 1948 to 1972 and President of North Korea from 1972 to 1994. He was the leader of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) from 1949 to 1994 (titled as chairman from 1949 to 1966 and as general secretary after 1966). Coming to power after the end of Japanese rule over Korea in 1945 following Japan's surrender in World War II, he authorized the invasion of South Korea in 1950, triggering an intervention in defense of South Korea by the United Nations led by the United States. Following the military stalemate in the Korean War, a ceasefire was signed in July 1953. He was the third-longest serving non-royal head of state and government in the 20th century, in office for more than 45 years.

The Second Republic of Korea (Korean: 제2공화국; RR: Je-i Gonghwaguk; lit. "Second Republic") was the government of South Korea from June 1960 to May 1961.

The Second Republic was founded months after the April Revolution mass protests against President Syngman Rhee, succeeding the First Republic and establishing a parliamentary government under President Yun Posun and Prime Minister Chang Myon. The Second Republic ended Rhee's authoritarianism and repression, formed a liberal democracy, and formulated the first Five-Year Plans to develop the formerly neglected economy. After thirteen months it was overthrown by the South Korean Army in the May 16 coup led by Park Chung Hee. The Second Republic was replaced by a provisional military government under the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, leading to the Third Republic of Korea.

Syngman Rhee (Korean: 이승만; Hanja: 李承晚; pronounced [iː.sɯŋ.man]; 26 March 1875 – 19 July 1965), also known by his art name Unam (우남; 雩南), was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960. Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea from 1919 to his impeachment in 1925 and from 1947 to 1948. As president of South Korea, Rhee's administration was characterised by authoritarianism, limited economic development, and in the late 1950s growing political instability and public opposition to his rule.

Born in Hwanghae Province, Joseon, Rhee attended an American Methodist school, where he converted to Christianity. He became a Korean independence activist and was imprisoned for his activities in 1899. After his release in 1904, he moved to the United States, where he received degrees from American universities and met Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. After a brief 1910–12 return to Korea, he moved to Hawaii in 1913. In 1919, following the Japanese suppression of the March First Movement, Rhee joined the right-leaning Korean Provisional Government in exile in Shanghai. From 1918 to 1924, he served as the first President of the Korean Provisional Government until 1925. He then returned to the United States, where he advocated and fundraised for Korean independence. In 1939, he moved to Washington, DC. In 1945, he was returned to US-controlled Korea by the US military. On 20 July 1948, he was elected the first president of the Republic of Korea by the National Assembly, ushering in the First Republic of Korea.

Chang Myon (Korean: 장면; August 28, 1899 – June 4, 1966) was a South Korean statesman, educator, diplomat, journalist and social activist as well as a Roman Catholic youth activist. He was the only prime minister of the parliamentary Second Republic. In addition, during the First Republic he was the fourth and last vice president of South Korea. His art name was Unseok (운석). His English name was John Chang Myon (baptismal name, surname, given name, respectively).

Under Japanese rule, Chang worked in education as a school teacher, administrator, and principal. In 1948, he led the delegation of the Republic of Korea to the UN General Assembly. In 1949, he became the first ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States. In 1950, he successfully appealed to the United States and the UN to send troops to assist in the Korean War. On November 23, 1950, he was appointed the prime minister of the First Republic of Korea. From 1956 to 1960, he served as the vice president of the First Republic of Korea.

The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge (Korean: 단장의 능선 전투; Hanja: 斷腸의 稜線 戰鬪; French: Bataille de Crèvecœur), also known as the Battle of Wendengli (Chinese: 文登里战斗; pinyin: Wéndēnglǐ Zhàndòu), was a month-long battle in the Korean War which took place between 13 September and 15 October 1951. After withdrawing from Bloody Ridge, the Korean People's Army (KPA) set up new positions just 1,500 yards (1,400 m) away on a 7-mile (11 km) long hill mass. If anything, these defenses were even more formidable than on Bloody Ridge.

The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge was one of several major engagements in the hills of North Korea a few miles north of the 38th Parallel, the pre-war boundary between North and South Korea, near Chorwon. For the Chinese, this battle is often confused with the Battle of Triangle Hill, which occurred a year later.

During the Korean War, six countries—Sweden, India, Denmark, Norway, Italy, and West Germany—provided medical support to South Korea and the United Nations Forces. They provided a range of medical services, including the provision of mobile field hospitals; medical professionals, including doctors and nurses; hospital beds; equipment; and ambulances. Some of these personnel were killed during the conflict, though they were not combatants against North Korea and the People's Republic of China.