Busan Perimeter Defense Order

Ground Forces

UN forces were placed under the command of the US Army . The command of the eighth US Army acted as the high command of the UN forces, the headquarters was located in Daegu ^{[1] [2]} . Under his command were three American divisions: the 24th Infantry Division, which arrived in the country in early July, the 1st Cavalry and 25th Infantry Divisions, which arrived from July 14 to July 18 ^[3] . These forces held the western part of the perimeter along the Naktong River ^[4] .

Army of the Republic of Korea (ROKA) with a strength of 58 thousand people. ^[5] consisted of two corps and five divisions. From east to west housed the 1st Corps, consisting of the 8th Infantry and Capital Divisions, the 2nd Corps of the 1st and 6th Divisions. The reconstructed 3rd Division was placed under the direct command of the army of the Republic of Korea ^{[6] [7]} . The morale of UN units during this period of the war was low due to the large number of defeats ^{[1] [8]} . Over the past month, Americans lost 6 thousand people, and South Koreans - 70 thousand. ^{[9] [10]}

The number of US and North Korean troops at the beginning of the battle is difficult to estimate. Subsequent studies show that the KPA consisted of about 70 thousand combat forces participating in the battles for the Busan perimeter on August 5, most divisions were understaffed ^{[9] [11]} . Due to the exhausting battles during the war, there were 3 thousand people in mechanized units, and 40 T-34 tanks ^{[9] [12]} at the front. MacArthur reported that on August 4, there were 141.808 people from the UN forces, of which 47 thousand were from American ground combat units and 45 thousand were from South Korean combat units. The UN ground forces outnumbered the forces of the North Koreans (92 thousand against 70 thousand) ^{[9] [12]}

In September 1950, during the battle, more and more new UN forces arrived from the USA and other countries ^[13] . The 2nd Infantry Division , the 5th Regiment Combat Command ^[14] , the 1st Temporary Marine Brigade and the British Army Brigade arrived in Busan , a large number of fresh troops and ammunition, including over 500 tanks ^{[4] [15]} . Towards the end of the battle, the forces of the eighth army increased from three understaffed divisions to four full-blooded well-equipped and trained groups. Towards the end of the battle, the 27th British brigade arrived to help the American and South Korean units ^[16] .

8th US Army

  8th US Army
Commander: Lieutenant General Walton Walker ^[3]

South Korean Army

Air Force

UN forces had an extensive arsenal of aircraft provided by the US Air Force . Most of the aircraft were provided by the Far East Air Forces (FEAF) and the Fifth Air Force Group 5. The Navy and Marine Corps also played a significant role in support operations from the sea. During the battle, UN forces took full control of airspace and The U.S. Navy and Air Force provided ground support during the battle with virtually no resistance.36 By the end of the battle, the eighth army had more powerful air support than the 12th Army Group of General Omar Bradley in Europe during the Second World War ^{[37] [38]} .

By the end of July, the United States sent by sea to Korea a large number of aircraft of all types. On July 30, the Air Force in the Far East had 890 F-80 aircraft and 264 F-51 aircraft, however, only 525 of them arrived in units, were available for combat operations and ready for battle ^[14] .

Air forces in the Far East had a large fleet of heavy long-range bomber aircraft; these aircraft were located in Japan far beyond the range of North Koreans. Such striking power was almost useless against the scattered North Korean units and the B-29 FEAF “ superfast ” bombers gave way to smaller and multipurpose fighter-bombers of the fifth Air Force group. However, according to MacArthur’s order, the FEAF bomber command conducted one mission during the battles around the Busan perimeter ^{[39] [40]} .

On August 16, at the height of the battle for Daegu , a massive carpet bombardment of the area north-west of Wegwan was carried out, where, according to calculations, 40 thousand were accumulated. grouping of North Korean troops. Bombers dropped about 960 tons of 500 pound (230 kg) and 1000 pound (450 kg) bombs from a height of 10 thousand Feet ^{[39] [40]} . To complete the bombardment, FEAF bomber aviation was deployed and the aircraft dropped 3,084 units of 500 pound bombs and 150 units of 1,000 pound bombs. It was the most massive Air Force operation after the battle of Normandy in World War II ^[41] .

The next day, General Walker informed MacArthur that the damage suffered by the North Koreans from the bombing was difficult to assess due to smoke and rising dust, and ground forces also could not make an assessment due to the fire of the North Koreans ^[40] . Later, North Korean prisoners reported that, contrary to the assessment of the command in the Far East, the North Korean divisions were not located west of the Naktang River and had already managed to cross to the east bank and were not in the bombing area. It was not known whether the bombs of at least one North Korean soldier were killed. ^[41]

However, it was assumed that the bombing destroyed a significant number of KPA artillery batteries. UN ground and air force commanders opposed future carpet bombing of enemy combat groups until they have accurate information about the concentration of enemy troops and the situation becomes critical ^[42] . Instead, they recommended the use of fighter-bombers and dive bombers , as they could provide better support to ground forces ^[41] . Thus, the next bombardment of the area east of the Naktong River scheduled for August 19 was canceled ^{[39] [42]} .

Far East Air Force and Fifth Air Force Group

Naval Aviation

The US Navy and Marine Corps aircraft arrived to battle with North Korean forces aboard five aircraft carriers: USS Valley Forge - carrier group 5, USS Philippine Sea - carrier group 11, HMS Triumph - two squadrons of the British Navy and two smaller aircraft carriers that delivered naval aviation infantry from the 1st air wing of the marine corps. By the beginning of the war, only the carrier group 5 was in the Far East ^[46] . Most of the pilots of the group were veterans of World War II, although due to budgetary restrictions after the end of the [Second World War], months before the start of the [Korean] War, their training and readiness were significantly reduced ^[47] .

At the beginning of the war, these aircraft were used mainly for raids and intelligence gathering about ground-based North Korean targets; efforts were focused on disrupting North Korean front line supplies ^[48] . Shortly after the retreat of the UN forces after the Battle of Daejeon , naval aviation immediately began providing air support and air strikes against North Korean ground forces at the front ^[49] . These missions were associated with significantly greater risk and the aircraft suffered higher losses from North Korean fire ^[50] .

Fleet

UN forces had a powerful naval force composed of ships from various countries that helped defend the Busan perimeter at several critical points. The ships of the fleet were supported by ground troops shelling from the sea during trench battles ^[53] , provided supply routes and evacuation ^{[54] [55]} . Many aircraft carriers flew a large number of aircraft, striking North Korean ground forces ^{[56] [57]} .

UN force ships continued to advance to the theater of operations during the battle for the perimeter and after it ended and played various roles during the battle ^[52] . The fleet was divided into three main groups: battle group 77, which consisted mainly of aircraft carriers and representing the fleet’s strike forces, battle group 96 from various small ships engaged in shelling from the sea, and battle group 90, which organized a combat transport squadron to assist in the evacuation and deployment of ground forces ^[58] .

The general command of the naval forces was carried out by the command of the 7th fleet of the USA, the bulk of the naval power was also provided by the USA ^[58] . Britain introduced a small battle group of an aircraft carrier and several cruisers. Ships were also provided by Australia , Canada and New Zealand ^[59] . The participation of the South Korean fleet in the battle was insignificant. South Korea’s small fleet consisted of several dozen minesweepers , large landing ships, torpedo boats and other small ships provided to the Koreans by other UN powers. Compared to the powerful UN fleet, the South Korean fleet played a very modest role in the battle. However, North Korean ships, also very small, more often attacked the South Korean fleet ^[60] .

US 7th Fleet

Battle Group 77

Battle Group 77, under the command of Vice Admiral Arthur Strabl, formed the core of the UN strike carrier forces. The group consisted of American aircraft carriers and accompanying escort ships ^[58] . During the battle, escort ships took part in the operations of group 96 ^[59] .

Battle Group 96

Battle Group 96, under the command of Vice Admiral Charles Turner Joey, was the largest UN force formation in terms of ship numbers. The group consisted mainly of cruisers, destroyers and other smaller ships. They were engaged in the blockade of sea routes to the coast of North Korea and carried out shelling from the sea. Ships of this group were also periodically transferred to group 77, acting as a cover and escort for American aircraft carriers. The ships of the group were very different in composition, as they consisted of the forces of five countries ^[59] .

Battle Group 90

Battle Group 90, under the command of Rear Admiral James Henry Doyle, mainly carried out landing operations in the theater. There were no warships in the group, only offensive transports and a large number of landing ships. The group consisted entirely of ships of the US Navy ^[59] . At least 15 large landing ships were allocated to support the attacking transports ^[81] .

In addition, a large number of other warships were dispatched to transfer weapons and supply the growing UN forces during the battle. These ships did not participate in the battles, but later during the war some of them were sent to military service ^[59] .

Ground Forces

KPA forces were organized into mechanized formations of ten divisions and initially totaled in July about 90 thousand well-trained and equipped troops, with hundreds of T-34 tanks ^[86] . Nevertheless, the defensive actions of the forces of the USA and South Korea significantly slowed down the advance of the North Koreans to South Korea, the North Koreans lost 58 thousand people and a large number of tanks ^[4] . To compensate for these losses, the North Korean command had to rely on inexperienced reinforcements and conscripts, many of whom were recruited in the captured areas of South Korea ^[87] . In the battle for the perimeter, the North Koreans engaged 13 infantry and one armored division ^[4] .

Initially, the North Koreans deployed the 83rd Mechanized Regiment of the 105th Armored Division from south to northeast, followed by the 6th ^[7] , 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 15th ^[3] , 1 th, 13th, 8th, 12th, and 5th divisions and 766th separate infantry regiment ^[8] .

North Korean People's Army

Air and Sea

The Navy of North Korea had small forces, consisting of approximately 50-60 ships - all of small tonnage. The fleet had several torpedo and gun boats, some of which were transferred by the Soviet Union. After the battle in Chumochin Chan (flowing literally in one gate) in which the UN forces were trapped and destroyed a small North Korean flotilla, North Korean ships generally avoided the ships of the UN forces, because of which the latter hardly encountered any resistance. During the battle of the Busan perimeter, North Korean torpedo boats launched separate attacks on similar South Korean small ships, but did not engage in battle with large UN ships. Also, the North Korean fleet failed to provide supplies from the USSR or from China, since North Korea never had a large fleet in this region ^[96] . Historians see this as one of the greatest problems of the North Koreans during the battle, as well as the fact that they allowed the UN forces to establish complete superiority in the air ^[60] .

By the outbreak of the Korean War, the North Korean Air Force consisted of approximately 150 combat aircraft. The Air Force was a mixture of models built in the USSR and generally poorly maintained and repaired. Fighter aircraft consisted of the Yak-7s , Yak-3s and newer Yak-9s (a total of 70 aircraft). Attack aviation was represented by IL-10 aircraft; Po-2 biplanes were used for training. The equipment was poorly maintained. Although the pilots were eager for battle, they were mostly poorly trained ^[97] . Nevertheless, the North Korean ground forces possessed more modern weapons, including anti-aircraft guns and equipment, which more effectively threatened UN aviation ^[98] . During the battle around the perimeter, North Korean aviation engaged in battles with American aircraft in small, separate, random clashes. In general, the North Koreans did not succeed in opposing sufficient fighter forces to seriously resist the massive air power of the UN forces ^[99] .

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