the air and sea, the Allies would not push the
remaining Germans out of Italy until war’s
end. Kesselring’s excellent eye for defensive
terrain, and his masterful shifting of re-
sources, were decisive factors in maintaining
that agonizing pace.
In March 1945, Hitler summoned Kessel-
ring from Italy to succeed Gerd von Rund-
stedtas commander in chief West. His or-
ders were to hold everywhere and drive the
Allies back, but Germany’s position was es-
sentially hopeless. Following a few stiff rear-
guard actions, Kesselring surrendered to the
Americans at Saalfield on May 6, 1945. By
that time he was one of few high-ranking Ger-
man officials that Hitler had not sacked. After
the war, Kesselring was imprisoned and
charged with war crimes. Apparently, several
units under his command executed 332 Ital-
ian citizens in retaliation for partisan activi-
ties. Kesselring was found guilty and con-
demned to death, but his sentence was
commuted to life imprisonment by Prime
Minister Winston Churchill. This was done
apparently at the behest of several Allied
commanders. He gained an early release on
account of poor health in October 1952 and
retired to private life to write his memoirs.
Kesselring died at Bad Nauheim on July 16,
1960, hailed by his former enemies as one of
Germany’s top commanders. His far-sighted
aviation policies as the Luftwaffe’s chief ad-
ministrator should not be overlooked.See also
Arnim, Hans-Jurgen; Göring, Hermann; Hitler, Adolf;
Rommel, Erwin; Rundstedt, Gerd von; Senger und
Etterlin, Fridolin vonBibliography
Barnett, Correlli, ed. Hitler’s Generals.New York: Grove
Weidenfield, 1989; Botjer, George F. Sideshow War:
The Italian Campaign, 1943–1945.College Station:
Texas A&M University Press, 1996; Brett-Smith,
Richard. Hitler’s Generals.London: Osprey, 1976;
Chant, Christopher, ed. Hitler’s Generals and Their
Battles.London: Salamander Books, 1977; Fraschka,
Gunter. Knights of the Reich.Atglen, PA: Schiffer,
1994; Humble, Richard. Hitler’s Generals.Garden City,
NY: Doubleday, 1974; Kesselring, Albert. The Memoirs
of Field Marshal Albert Kesselring.London: Kimber,
1974; Lucas, James S. Hitler’s Commanders: German
Bravery in the Field, 1939–1945.London: Cassell,
2000; Lucas, James S. Hitler’s Enforcers.London:
Arms and Armour, 1996; Macksey, Kenneth. Kessel-
ring: German Master Strategist of the Second World
War. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 1996;
Mitcham, Samuel W. Hitler’s Field Marshals and
Their Battles.Chelsea, MI: Scarborough House, 1990.KIMILSUNG
Kim Il Sung
(April 15, 1912–July 8, 1994)
North Korean Dictator
F
or nearly half a century, maniacal dicta-
tor Kim Il Sung ruled North Korea with
an iron fist. His obsession to unify the
divided Korea Peninsula led to a confronta-
tion with the United States and the first armed
conflict of the Cold War.
Kim Sung Ju was born in the Korean village
of Pyongan-namdo on April 15, 1912, the son
of a schoolmaster. This was two years after
Japan had formally annexed Korea into its
burgeoning overseas empire. Several harsh
policies, intended to erase the ancient Korean
culture and language, were then instituted,
and the entire populace was treated little bet-
ter than slaves. Resentment arising from such
cultural imperialism pushed many Koreans,