English

DTIC ADA181423: U.S. Army Armor in Limited War: Armor Employment Techniques in Korea and Vietnam

Since the 1940's the United States Army's doctrine for the employment of its armor forces has oriented toward a World War II-style conflict against a conventionally equipped opponent in a general war on the European continent. However, the two major wars that the United States has fought since then - the Korean War and the war in Vietnam - have been limited wars fought against non- mechanized forces in countries with armor-restricting terrain, Initially, these conditions seemed to indicate that armor units would not be able to fight very effectively and might not even be necessary, particularly in Vietnam. Furthermore, American policies in both wars created constraints on the ability of U.S. armor units to use tanks and mechanized forces in their doctrinal roles of exploitation and pursuit, especially in the latter stages of the Korean War. Faced with unfamiliar conditions, armor units in both Korea and Vietnam adjusted quickly and developed new tactical employment techniques that contributed significantly, though not decisively, to the effectiveness of American combat operations in each war.

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