"Guerilla War In South Korea?" Topic

What happened in South Korea is a mystery to me, not because I'm not interested but simply because I have never found a book about it for sale in the bookshops. That's odd as the Royal Ulster Rifles were heavily engaged in that conflict…

But my question, is it true that before North Korea invaded S.K. in 1950, they first tried to undermine and subvert the state with a guerilla war over two or three years before the invasion? I don't know where I read this, but it was within these last couple of days on some site or other. All it said was that a guerilla war was fought "in the mountains" but was beaten by "somewhat robust" tactics by the ROKA.

Anybody have any more information on this? Thanks.

There were ongoing clashes between North and South for some time prior, along with widespread civil unrest which the South Korean government treated very harshly.

Wiki mentions that left-wing groups in the south turned guerilla, but it's not clear if they started that way.

It's quite likely that they received official support though and undoubtedly became a part of North Korean efforts.

link

My gut feeling is that a war was more or less inevitable:
Two very unpleasant regimes, each affiliated with a super power at the beginning of the cold war when intentions were still uncertain and tensions high?

Combine that with China looking to expand it's influence, Stalin eager to push the USSR on the world state and Kim being very convinced that a war was winnable?

yeah, powder keg.

You never really hear much about anything before the war. It could have been ongoing but was probably low key given the nature of the military, especially as the ROK was more geared against that eventuality.

During the conflict and after the immediate cease fire, there was a massive problem of guerilla warfare due to the swift moving campaign having left groups and pockets behind without having secured their rear areas. Equally so was launching of raids and bands by the ROK or more so the US into the North.

Quite a number of Commonwealth units that went to Korea spent their first month or two acclimitizing by clearing up bands of these groups before taking their place in the front line.

There was a guerilla war post-1945. Some of the groups were anti-Japanese communist who simply changed targets. Others were in response to the harsh ROK government actions to repress any and all opposition. However, the ROKs were pretty good, if heavy-handed, at anti-guerilla operations and had reduced the threat to a nuisance by 1950. The failure to undermine the ROK led to the North trying unification the direct way. Many NK units were cut off and took to the mountains during the US/UN counter-offensive in late 1950, to be joined by a few Chinese the following Spring. They never amounted to a serious threat and were pretty much eradicated by 1952.

Good intel Cold Steel. I had read something similar in the past.

Might make for interesting skirmish scenarios to shake up a Korean War campaign.

Good man Weasel… keep it coming! I'd be really interested in knowing more about your thoughts on this and how to play it.

Plastic figures for the S.K. army maybe? I don't know anyone who makes metal figures for Korea, strange that, as the ROKA went to Vietnam wearing basically the same uniforms. Imex does a range of plastic figures for the Korean War which would do for the military, but what about the guerillas?

It would make an interesting little diversion from the more mainstream games.

Yes, I saw those plastics, they look pretty good ! I also read a book about COIN during the war too. Was pretty good, wish I could remember the name. I think this is the book ? link There might be some good scenarios in there.

… strange that, as the ROKA went to Vietnam wearing basically the same uniforms.

I think when I was in the ROK '85-'86, in a US ARMY Mech Bn. The ROKs may have worn the same uniforms or similar ? Cold Steel was there with a Tank Bn, about the same time I was … he may be able to give you more of an insight, as well ?

The ROKs wore the basic OD green uniform for most of their troops throughout the 80s, the same basic uniform since the 50s. However, the ROKs sent their elite Tiger and White Horse divisions to Vietnam and they wore tiger stripes similar to the SVN troops.

Yes, I remember the ROK uniforms looked like the old green permanent press fatigues the US wore before BDUs. But the ROK's were more green than the US OD. And that is true, I did see pics of ROKs in SE Asia during Vietnam wearing something like the Tiger Stripes. But IIRC, they were not designed like the US Jungle Fatigues with all the pockets, etc. …