Asia Program Cold War International History Project Drawing on extensive research in the rich records on North Korea held in Hungarian archives and broad knowledge of the communist world, this path-breaking book examines why and how North Korea became more despotic even as other communist countries underwent de-Stalinization during the Khrushchev era. Szalontai's analysis focuses on Kim Il Sung: his nationalism; his efforts to balance the need for foreign aid with his hope for an independent foreign policy; and what seems to be his good sense of timing in doing in internal rivals without attracting Soviet retaliation. Through a series of comparisons not only with the USSR but also with Albania, Romania, Yugoslavia, China, and Vietnam, the author presents an original and important interpretation of the forces responsible for shaping North Korea's unique form of communism. Event speakers: Balasz Szalontai, James Hershberg, Hyung-ki Kim, Kathryn Weathersby,

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