ABSTRACT
At the moment of attack on June 25, 1950, the Korean People’s Army (KPA) 1 could be characterized as a well-prepared, well-equipped, highly-experienced, combat-hardened force with international political backing and material provision. On the other hand, the Republic of Korea (ROK) military enjoyed none of these factors other than political support from the United States. To the detriment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK; hereafter referred to as North Korea), what the KPA lacked was good leadership from the top and adequate vision of the war’s consequences. Indeed, these weaknesses nearly cost the North Korean state its independence, caused significant challenges to Kim Il Sung’s authority, and led to enormous losses by the KPA and the Korean people. This chapter will focus on these issues surrounding the KPA during the Korean War.
