Concerned

On some other websites to which I belong there is a pervasive attitude from some people who should know better that superior technology in the hands of the US will ensure that if it becomes necessary to go to war with North Korea (or Iran) that the whole war will be over in just a few weeks.

In 1914 Germany's Kaiser and Austria Hungary's Conrad Graf von Hötzendorf had the same beliefs regarding combat with the the French and the Serbs and Russians. England's Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill had the same opinion regarding the Ottoman Empire at Galipoli. Thus began 4 years of war on 4 continents and the resultant suffering and violent death of well over 10 million people.

Historically the US military did not do that well fighting in North Korea. In honesty, until the Inchon landing the US backed side was clearly losing. The US Army was not well prepared for a winter war in mountain terrain.

North Korea has 1.1 million men and women in it's active military.
The United States has 1.3 million men and women in it's active military.

The United States has 865,000 trained reservists.
North Korea has 6.3 million trained reservists.

For 70 years North Korea has been digging tunnels and fortifying bunkers in anticipation of an invasion. Most of their key installations have at least 100 days worth of food, ammunition, fuel and drinking water stored inside.

Any attempt to conquer North Korea with conventional forces would be a lot like invading Japanese held Iwo Jima during but on a vastly larger scale and against an enemy with equivalent weaponry. .

As part of the SALT talks the US destroyed their tactical artillery nuclear devices and back pack nuclear devices (SADM). It is rational to suspect N. Korea by now has quantities of both.

As I stated elsewhere, given a simultaneous launch of 1,000+ US antimissile forces can be expected to stop maybe 10% - 15% of the incoming. The missiles intercepted may be harmless dummy missiles or they may be the real McCoy. What gets through will be random.

Five or fifty large scale nuclear explosions on US soil would be a very bad thing. In WWI maybe 2 - 5 million became homeless, poverty stricken, starving refugees. Disease and crime followed them as they became more and more desperate and without sanitation or medical aid. Looting and riots were common. Large nuclear strikes on America's West coast can rationally be expected to produce at least 20 to 40 million homeless, poverty stricken, starving, irradiated 'displaced Americans' (Since Hurricane Katrina it is politically incorrect to ever call an American a refugee, even when applicable). Crime, disease, looting and death will accompany them. FEMA has no plan written to feed, house, or treat that many people. There exist no plans to recover Guam or Hawaii if there is a large nuclear attack. Good luck to them.

Depending on the size/altitude of the blasts some disruption of the power and communication grid will occur. It shouldn't last more than 2 months in most areas. Likewise delivery of food to your local store may be a few weeks delayed and it is good that we all own water purification systems because the water pumps and filtration systems use electricity. After the fallout settles please remove the top 4" of topsoil before planting vegetables in your Victory garden.

Of course N. Korea will basically vanish in an all out nuclear exchange. US forces will still have to comb through the wreckage least a 3rd party do so and find some nuclear weapons not yet used. Some US deaths from radiation and fanatical armed holdouts should be expected. Fewer than 50,000 probably. At the height of the Cold War both the US and the USSR were making noises about nuclear weapons with dead man switches that required resetting every six months or so. If N. Korea has done that too, I am sure eventually we will learn of it,.

My point? It will bloody, long, and not something anyone sane wants.