Reminiscences of the Anti-Japanese Guerillas
# Reminiscences of the Anti-Japanese Guerillas

Reminiscences of the Anti-Japanese Guerillas is a collection of memoirs of North Korean guerillas fighting during the 1930s and 1940s in Manchuria against the Japanese. It was used as a textbook for indoctrination until it was effectively replaced by another piece of guerilla literature, Kim Il Sung's autobiography With the Century, in the 1990s. The memoirs were written in order to portray Kim Il Sung as a national liberator, and to strengthen his cult of personality. However, the memoirs are still used as a textbook in ideological workplace study sessions, as well as in other forms of indoctrination. Many of the memoirs have been adapted as movies by the North Korean film industry.

## Role of the memoirs and state propaganda

The Party History Institute(당력사연구소) was founded in 1958, and its collection of memoirs, Reminiscences of the Anti-Japanese Guerillas, was published in 1959, when Kim Il-sung's cult of personality was being strengthened after the August Faction Incident. These initiatives were part of the efforts to create and promote Kim Il Sung's activities during World War II as an anti-Japanese myth. High-ranking defector Hwang Jang-yop dated the beginning of the personality cult at the end of the 1960s, when various guerillas disappeared from North Korean partisan literature. Until the 1960s, guerillas like Eulji Mundeok, Kang Gam-chan and Lee Sun-shin were common in North Korean partisan literature. Others like Ahn Chang-ho and Shin Chae-ho were discredited.

In the late 1960s, Kim Jong Il called back all the unofficial guerilla memoirs, and publishing them independently through news media or publishing houses was banned. After the Kapsan Faction Incident in 1967, similar to the August Faction Incident in nature, Kim Jong Il ordered the chapters in Reminiscences of the Anti-Japanese Guerillas written by the conspirators to be deleted. Since then, the Party History Institute would review and edit all memoirs. Hwang accused Kim Jong Il of trying to monopolize the independence struggle for the Kim family. Jae-Cheon Lim argues that in the 1990s, the role of the memoirs as a tool for indoctrination were largely replaced by With the Century.

The memoirs are still commonly used in daily ideological study sessions at workplaces, as they are seen as classic literature of the Workers' Party of Korea. They are also used as ideological study material in universities and in the Korean People's Army. The memoirs are also used in annual mandatory party members' political examinations handled by the party Propaganda and Agitation Department. Repeated failures in the examinations have resulted in local officials being fired.

## Release details

In May 1959, the first volume of the memoirs was published for the first time by the Workers' Party of Korea Publishing House. Since then, they have been republished in numerous volumes and editions.

In November 2003, it was announced that the Workers' Party of Korea Publishing House planned to publish 20 volumes of reminiscences by combining earlier published series Reminiscences of the Anti-Japanese Guerillas, Combat Reminiscences of Anti-Japanese Guerillas and For the Freedom and Liberation of the People. The first volume carried 27 chapters of memoirs.

In 2012, the memoirs won the People's Prize in North Korea. Many of the memoirs have since the 1959 release been made into movies, including Comrades! Please Take This Pistol, Fighter on Mt. Chonbo and Story of An Sun Hwa.

The memoirs have been reprinted by University Press of the Pacific in English. Translations exist in Finnish and Swahili.

## Select contributors

The following guerillas who entered politics after the war have contributed to the series.

* Person has contributed to this volume.
* Person has not contributed to this volume.

| Name | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| An Chong-suk | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| An Yong(안영) | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Chang Sang-yong | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Chi Kyong-su | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Chi Pyong-hak(지병학) | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear |
| Cho Myong-son조명선 | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Cho Tong-uk | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Choe Hyon(최현) | | | Does not appear | | | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Choe In-dok(최인덕) | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Choe Ki-chol | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Choe Kwang(최광) | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Choe Min-chol(최민철) | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Chon Chang-chol | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | |
| Chon Mun-sop(전문섭) | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Chon Mun-uk | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Chong Pyong-gap | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Chu To-il | | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Han Ik-su | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Ho Chang-suk | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Ho Pong-hak | | | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Hwang Sun-hui(황순희) | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Cha-rin(김자린) | Does not appear | | | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Chang-bong | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Chol-man | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Chwa-hyok(김좌혁) | | Does not appear | | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Ik-hyon | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | |
| Kim Kyong-sok | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Myung-jun(김명중) | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Myong-suk(김명숙) | Does not appear | | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Ok-sun | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Pyong-sik | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Song-guk | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Tae-hong | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Tong-gyu(김동규) | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | | | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Yang-chun | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Yo-jung | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Kim Yong-yon | Does not appear | | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| O Chae-won | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| O Chin-u | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| O Peak-yong(오백룡) | Does not appear | | | | | | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Paek Hak-nim(백학림) | | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Pak Kwang-son(박광선) | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Pak Kyong-suk | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Pak Song-chol | | | | Does not appear | | | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Pak U-sop | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Pak Yong-sun(박영순) | | | | | | | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| So Chol(서철) | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Sok San(석산) | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Son Chong-jun(손종준) | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Tae Pyong-yol | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Wang Ok-hwan | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Yi Kuk-chin | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Yi Pong-su | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Yi Tu-chan(리두찬) | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | |
| Yi Ul-sol(리을설) | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Yi Yong-gu | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Yi Yong-suk | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Yim Chol(임철) | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Yim Chun-chu | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Yu Chang-gwon | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
| Yun Tae-hong(윤태홍) | | | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | | | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear | Does not appear |
