The Army: World War 2 to Korea

The period 1945-1950 can be divided into two phases--demobilization and post-war planning. Demobilization ended in mid-1947 with the end of the draft and the release of the last draftees. Post-war planning initially turned inward in an effort to restructure the Army as a small peacetime force. After 1948, attention increasingly turned to the tensions accompanying the deterioration of U.S. and Soviet relations. However, an economy-minded Congress and Defense Department severely limited the Armys ability to react to the need for new or continued programs or to the challenges of the Cold War. The result was an Army ill-prepared for the demands of the Korean War. Task Force Smith, a unit of approximately 400 men thrown into action against North Korean forces, suffered more than 150 casualties owing to inadequate training and equipment. In sum, on the eve of the Korean conflict the Army was the largest standing ground force in United States peacetime history. But it was ill-equipped and focused on occupation duty. Task Force Smith dramatically revealed the consequences of that type of emphasis