Re: ROK Army

[<Jhk789@aol.com>]

In a message dated 2/27/2002 7:14:30 PM Pacific Standard Time, evanhoe@arbuckleonline.com writes:


> The only vehicles that could come close to being classified as "armor" were 
> the M-8 armored cars /37mm tube.  If memory serves (and it probably doesn't 
> in this instance) ROKA had 12 M-8's  O/H when the war began.  However, 
> given the parts situation, I suspect most of these were deadlined.


Half right!

When the War began, ROK Army had 28 M-8 armorered cars
equipped with 37-mm guns, 15 half-tracks,
89 serviceable105-mm howitzers, 114 57-mm antitank guns, and
98,000 troops. (Encyclopedia of the K.W., p. 356)
In addition, ROK forces consisted of 1,865 Air Force, 6,145 Navy, &
48,000 National Police. (The Outbreak, US Army Center of 
Military History, p.6) 

ROK Armydivisons 1,6,7,8, & 17th Reg. of the Capital Divison
held positions along the 38th Parallel. They were also
armed with M1 rifle, 30-caliber carbine, 60-mm & 81-mm mortars,
2.36-inch rocket launchers, etc. (The Outbreak)

With mortars and 105-mm howitzers, I think they could have
mounted a limited attack on the North.
Notice that the number of troops South had, in cluding the police,
numbered about 150,000. This exceeded the N.K. forces estimated
at 100,000-135,000. This raises an interesting question of whether
N.K had mobilized enough soldiers to begin the attack in June.
Military logic would have required an attacking force to have at
least 2 to 1 superiority in manpower. In addition, the N.K. forces
could not continue their attack for three days after they captured Seoul.
One S.Korean military expert states that this delay was due to the fact
that they didn't have any means to cross the Han river. This indicates
that their attack was not well prepared. 

John2