No Kwang-chol vs Walter Model

No Kwang-chol was appointed as Minister of People's Armed Forces (Defense Minister) of North Korea in June 2018, replacing Pak Yong-sik. He oversaw North Korea's military policy during a period of diplomatic engagement with South Korea and the United States.

No Kwang-chol participated in inter-Korean military talks in 2018, part of the Panmunjom Declaration implementation. These talks aimed to reduce military tensions along the DMZ, including discussions on removing guard posts and establishing a maritime buffer zone.

No Kwang-chol was dismissed as Minister of People's Armed Forces in September 2019, replaced by Kim Jong-gwan. His dismissal occurred amid a reshuffle of top military officials, possibly related to the failure of the Hanoi summit between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump.

Reports emerged in 2020 that No Kwang-chol had been executed or purged, though North Korean state media did not confirm this. He disappeared from public view after his dismissal, consistent with patterns of purges in the North Korean leadership under Kim Jong-un.

Model commanded the 3rd Panzer Division and later the 9th Army during the invasion of the Soviet Union. He participated in the encirclement battles at Bialystok and Minsk, and later in the advance on Moscow. His aggressive tactics earned him a reputation as a defensive specialist.

Model commanded the 9th Army in the Rzhev salient, where he conducted a successful defensive battle against Soviet offensives. He used counterattacks and elastic defense to inflict heavy casualties on the Red Army, stabilizing the German line despite being outnumbered.

Model was transferred to the Western Front to command Army Group B after the Allied invasion of Normandy. He failed to stop the Allied breakout and was later encircled in the Ruhr Pocket in April 1945. Facing capture, he shot himself on April 21, 1945.

Model was appointed commander of Army Group North in January 1944 after the Soviet Leningrad-Novgorod Offensive. He stabilized the front and prevented a complete collapse, earning Hitler's trust as a 'fireman' who could salvage desperate situations.