Korean War Military Analysis

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The Korean War, also known as the “forgotten war”, was one of the bloodiest conflicts in American history with U.S. losses above 55,000 (History.com, 2009). In 1950, the United States military entered the conflict with the primary mission being to protect South Korea. At onset of hostilities, the United States Army turned to Task Force Smith as a show of force which General Douglas MacArthur hoped to deceive the North Koreans and halt their advance (Spencer). The Battle of Osan which would ensue led the U.S. military to reevaluate its readiness and strategy in Korea. In 1949, 24th Infantry Division was occupying the southernmost Japanese island of Kyushu. The island itself proved too small for large maneuver training and wasn’t well suited …show more content…
Walker took command of 8th Army in 1949, he implemented a new training program to place emphasis on readiness for conflict. The training produced positive results, however, the onset of the Korean War left the 8th Army still unprepared for the conflict. Units had conducted individual and crew based training, however, still needed further training in recoilless rifle and high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) capabilities. Further, anti-tank rounds shortages made Task Force Smith less effective. In Japan, prior to the conflict, the division had, at ready, only 13 HEAT rounds at its disposal (Babb, …show more content…
The United States would have to balance its national objectives while maintaining effective combat readiness abroad. The U.S. failed to prepare its military for the next fight while riding its success of the last war (Babb, 2000). As Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Babb (RET) (2000) states, “regional expertise and planning, a better-integrated joint force, the ability to understand and evaluate the capabilities” are only partial solutions to finding the correct balance. Today, the United States now has 28,500 troops forward stationed in the Korean Peninsula including a division headquarters, single armored, artillery, and aviation brigades. Additionally, the U.S. Air Force currently maintains four squadrons of F-16 and A-10 fighter jets in South Korea (Mizokami, 2015). The United States now conducts regular defense exercises such as the 2014 “Foal Eagle” and the 2016 “Max Thunder”. “Max Thunder” involves 1,200 U.S. personnel which according to Lieutenant General Lee Wang-keun, commander of the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), focuses on both deterrence and response from North Korean aggression (Yeon,
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