Command Coordination and Tactical Effectiveness in Counter-insurgency Operations: Lessons from the South Korean Campaign |
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Authors: | Soul Park Seung Joon Paik |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Political Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore;2. Department of Political Science, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA |
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Abstract: | This article analyzes the causes of combat effectiveness of the South Korean security forces through the course of its various counter-insurgency (COIN) operations from 1948 to 1953. We argue that improvements in two interrelated aspects ultimately resulted in higher operational and tactical level performance: unified operational command structure and the subsequent improvements in tactical efficiency under the guidance of the US advisory mission. Through an in-depth case study on how a nascent army improved its capacity in combating homegrown insurgencies, we demonstrate how the actual conduct of operations itself remains just as significant in the assessment of overall COIN outcomes. |
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Keywords: | Counterinsurgency (COIN) interagency cooperation and coordination indigenous forces Korean Constabulary (KC) Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) Korean National Police (KNP) tactical effectiveness |
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