Chapter 27: The Art of War (3)
December 25, 1937
As Chinese forces were making final preparations for their offensive, Stalin, the dictator of the Soviet Union, pondered over a letter sent in the name of Roh Jae-woo, the Prime Minister of Korea.
"They wish to delineate our spheres of influence and cleanly settle our previous antagonistic relationship. Well, it doesn't sound bad…..."
The General Secretary, already on edge due to increasing threats from the West, was intrigued by the 'Korean-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact' proposed by Lee Sung Joon, Korea's de facto leader.
Stalin issued this directive to the Foreign Ministry,
"Tell me your thoughts on the Korean’s proposal."
Foreign Minister Maxim Litvinov1, receiving the General Secretary's instructions, responded favorably to the Korean-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact.
"Ultimately, the enemy threatening our Union's survival is Germany in the west. Geopolitically, turning Korea into an enemy would disperse resources needed to focus on Germany, which is not beneficial for the Union's survival."
As word spread that the Foreign Ministry was reviewing the Korean-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, concerns were raised in some quarters of the Soviet Communist Party.