Most people, including the North Koreans themselves, have very little knowledge of what role the Russian Koreans played in the establishment of the North Korean government and the formation of its People's Army. Those in the west, have always had an inkling that Kim Il Sung, the first head of North Korea had some ties with Russia. There have been all sorts of rumors about Kim Il Sung's involvement with the Soviet Red Army, etc. Kim Il Sung, although born in North Korea, was trained in the Soviet Union and did serve both as a communist anti-Japanese guerrilla leader before WWII, and during WWII, as a Battalion Commander in the Soviet Red Army, the 88th Infantry Brigade that was mostly made up of Russian Koreans that fought in Stalingrad. Some claim that he finished his Soviet Army career as the Brigade Commander. Whatever the case, he was not without battle experience, most of it earned while fighting for the Soviets. His son, the late lunatic Kim Jong Il, the father of current "Great Leader" was born in Russian, in Khabarovsk. His birth certificate states that he was named Yuri Iresenivich Kim at birth, so he was a Russian Korean.
When WWII ended in 1945 and Korea was split in half, awaiting "free democratic elections" to take place. The Soviets moved-in "their people," Russian Koreans en-masse! They had battle hardened NCOs and officers that they immediately employed to form the new People's Army. Young men were recruited or drafted and trained by these battle hardened Soviet soldiers. Kim Il Sung was named the head (before the "free elections!") and a Soviet military infrastructure was immediately established. Meanwhile, in the southern half, under U.S. occupation, there was no Korean government or army, that was to take place two years down the road, after the "free elections" that never took place. The Republic of Korea was formed in 1947 and its first President was Syngman Rhee. So, starting in 1947, the South Korean or Republic of Korea Army was established, in name only! It was armed with captured Japanese weaponry, and its cadre consisted mostly of inexperienced NCOs and officers, a few had served in Japanese army in non-combat capacity. Possibly the most accomplished Republic of Korea Army officer was Park Chung Hee, who was a former Lieutenant in the Japanese Army! Park went on to become a very successful Army General and President of South Korea. He was the father of present day South Korean President.
Contrast the South Korean situation with North Korea. The North had a two year head start in training an army. Its NCO and officer corps was heavily filled with Russian Koreans who were combat veterans and armed with familiar Soviet weaponry. The North Korean Chief of Staff was a Russian Korean who was a Major General in the Soviet Army during WWII! He was a graduate of Smolensk Military Academy and later went on to become the Foreign Minister of North Korea. It is no wonder then that when the war broke out on June 25, 1950, the North Korean Army pushed to the south without any resistance to speak of. They essentially advanced as fast as their T-34 tanks could move. The capital city of Seoul fell in two days! The South Korean Army was no match for the North Koreans.
Unfortunately, Washington badly misjudged the situation in the north (their intentions) and the ensuing war that broke out. There were no combat troops in Korea, just some administrative types. Japan supposedly had some U.S. combat troops, but in reality, the U.S. military was gutted after the end of WWII and the troops in Japan were inexperienced, ill prepared "occupation" forces. The units that were stationed in Japan were not ready for combat. Some of these units had not seen any combat training in over a year, let alone actual combat! So, our experience at the outset of the war was just as disastrous as that of the ill prepared South Korean army. Sadly, it seems that after every major conflict, we reduce our military to bare bones, then find ourselves in a desperate situation trying to build up the strength when another conflict erupts. In the meantime, those troops that were caught in the situation short handed, are literally sacrificed until the strength is built up.
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