ABSTRACT
American military advisors assigned first to the American zone of occupation in Korea (1946-1948), and then later to the United States Military Advisory Group to the Republic of Korea (KMAG; 1948-1950), found themselves tackling not only traditional roles of training and organization, but also more crucial ones like nation building and counter-insurgency. Indeed, the success and survival of a non-Communist state on the Korean peninsula hinged upon the political, cultural, and military talents of the officers and men assigned to the Korean Military Advisory Group. They were responsible to build from scratch – following the surrender of the Japanese Empire in August 1945 – a functional government with an effective domestic security and defense establishment. A myriad of problems and challenges, not the least of which were severe economic dislocation, a complete absence of a modern military experience, and a language alien to the Americans, worked against their success. Nevertheless, patience, focused training, and professional dedication on the part of individual advisors succeeded in stabilizing the Republic of Korea (ROK) government, developing an indigenous defense capability, and defeating a chronic, communist-inspired insurgency. In fact, the success of ROK forces in combating guerrillas likely influenced the decision of North Korea’s Kim Il-sung to launch a conventional invasion that threatened to engulf the ROK and triggered America’s first major military commitment of the Cold War.
