Counterattack on the Naktomg, 1950 (Leavenworth Papers, Number 13)
Abstract
The Combat Studies Inst. decides to study counterattack doctrine and operations in the Pusan Perimeter campaign in Korea during the summer of 1950. The most concentrated series of American counterattacks during the perimeter fighting occurred during the action known as the First Battle of the Naktong Bulge, 6-19 Aug. Prior to August, American and South Korean forces had been too pressed by the North Korean invaders to mount a coherent defense, much less initiate counterattacks. Withdrawal behind the Naktong River permitted both armies a brief respite from combat and the opportunity to establish a conventional line of defense with relatively secure flanks. When the North Korean 4th div. breached the Pusan Perimeter in the sector of the U.S. 24th Infantry Div. on 6 Aug., it triggered an extensive series of counterattacks that lasted for the next 2 weeks. Those counterattacks and the doctrinal foundation supporting them are the subject of this paper. The study first describes the counterattack doctrine existing in 1950 and summarizes how the 24th Div. came to be behind the Naktong in August. Chapters 2 - 7 describe American operations in the First Battle of the Naktong Bulge, beginning with the initial battalion-size counterattack and concluding with the final coordinated push that erased North Korean gains and restored the original defensive positions along the river line. Chap. 8 reviews the course of the operations in light of the prevailing doctrine on counterattack and suggests tentative conclusions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA211835
Entities
People
- William G. Robertson
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College