Task Force Smith--A Leadership Failure?
Abstract
On July 5, 1950, an American regimental combat team led by Lieutenant Colonel Charles 'Brad' Smith engaged North Korean soldiers in combat. This force was referred to as 'Task Force Smith'. Post World War II leadership in the military and civilian sectors failed the soldiers of Task Force Smith and all servicemen who fought in the Korean War. Thousands of lives were unnecessarily lost due to the failure of senior military leaders to demand high training and readiness standards and senior military and political leadership to see the nature of future warfare and prepare for it. In the face of budgetary constraints and resultant reduction of the force structure, our military and civilian leadership today must study and absorb the lessons learned from the Task Force Smith experience to insure this failure does not reoccur. This study is an examination of Task Force Smith and of the failure of senior leadership of the post World War II era to assume the mandated responsibility to maintain a strong defense. Failure of our military and political leadership to recognize the need for and needs of land power forces today could be even more costly than that experienced in Korea between 1950 and 1953.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 15, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA251335
Entities
People
- William J. Davies
Organizations
- United States Army War College