4 - The Black Vault

I
THE BDM CORPORATION
highly problematical that realistic simulation can be
achieved, not only in the physical, but also in the
psychological sense. Superimposed on this environment
is the requirement for learning combat skills and
instinctive response. Not only must the soldier be
trained in the combat skills, but he must also be
trained in understanding the nature of revolutionary
war and the social and political context in which he
must operate. Given the nature of the cultural gap
between industrial and developing societies, this
becomes, at best, a rather dubious undertaking. 6/
This assessment underscores the extremely important challenge that Vietnam
posed for the US training effort. While many other problems hindered the
training effort for Vietnam, this particular one prompted the advent of new
training and indoctrination requirements which, owing to the very nature
and timetable of the conflict, gave rise to a number of training innovations
and deficiencies.
training and indoctrination effort.
This chapter assesses these aspects cf the US
B. INFLUENCE OF THE KOREAN WAR
'<
1. Expansion of the Training Base
The armed forces of the United States %_re not well prepared for
the Korean War. Few units were available for immediate commitment to
Korea, and these, owing to rapid personnel turnover, lacked sufficie:I,
training. 7/ Of the ten Army and two Ma-ine divisions in the active
fo-ces, only the Ist Cavalry Division in Japan was near its authorized
strength.
Some
310,000 Reservists and National Guardsmen were called to
active duty, providing an immediate,
important source of trained personnel.
8/ Their early assignment to active duty also allowed time for the training
base to be expanded.
After the Chinese intervention in late 1950,
the replacement
training system had to operate at peak capacity to meet the urgent battlefield
requirements in Korea.
by FY
The Army training base expanded markedly, and
1954 more than 600,000 personnel were incl~ided in the training load.
By the end of the Korean war ten training divisions and eleven branch
material Reserve Training Centers were functioning. 9/
! 2-3
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