S6: Barring coastal communication, there was only one good lateral route of communication across the peninsula due to the terrain.  How does terrain affect communication and therefore tactical movement?  How did it influence U.S. and ROK forces once they crossed the 38th parallel?  What did the terrain in Korea affect communications compared to pr…[Read more]

Fires: The Chinese treated all POWs the same regardless of rank. This resulted in the degradation of discipline among POWs. Do you think this was the intended outcome or just 2nd and 3rd order effects? In addition what would you do to combat the loss of morale among POWs?

I believe the practice of treating all POW’s the same was less of a…[Read more]

Charlie: What do you think soldiers thought of their leadership at this point in the war? Why?

After the relatively quick push into North Korea, most soldier’s opinions of their leadership was probably positive. As they began to win more and more battles, cornering the enemy in their own country, the men fighting believed that the end was in…[Read more]

What is your response to the steadfastness of MacArthur’s insistence on the Inchon landing? How does it change, had the mission gone otherwise?

In hindsight, the Inchon landing was an audacious operation that took the enemy by surprise and set a tempo for MacArthur’s force. Even when the weather made the attempt questionable, MacArthur drove on…[Read more]

S2: TF Smith, while cocky and poorly disciplined, was ill prepared to deal with the NKPA armor threat.  They were using old ammunition from old WW2 delivery systems, making them ineffective against T34 tanks.  Even 105’s in direct lay didn’t have enough ammunition to be effective.  Why did the US not know or understand the armor threat in Korea al…[Read more]

What factors made Korea vulnerable and appealing for military occupation? What geopolitical factors in the 20th century led Korea’s invasion and occupation in June 1950?

Factors that made the Invasion of South Korea appealing to the communists were the lack of preparation against military action by the US forces, and the hesitation to commit…[Read more]