How important is being able to feed your own country during warfare?

[Jersovic]

I always hear guys at work say that it would be impossible to invade a country like North Korea, but when a country is entirely dependent on other nations for food, wouldn't it be fairly easy to starve them out?

[Ynna]

I'd say it's pretty important. Starving soldiers don't fight too good.

[smelltheglove]

the "impossible" part of invading NK has more to do with the jungle and the presence of china

[Deleted]

North Korea is a toothless tiger without claws, it can still roar and look mean, but thats about it. If they cannot even feed their own people, no way they can afford to maintain a war, the system would collapse very quickly once food stocks ran out.

[Gaexion Ramza Beoulve]

Countries like N Korea hold their country hostage with food, not just against internal struggle but external as well. China feeds them and takes care of them basically so that leaders don't press the self destruct button. The benefit China gets is very small, it's basically a cancerous little sore that gives the country an excuse to keep an army around and also having this wild card on your side of the ocean means the U.S. has to go through you for anything involving N Korean negotiations.

[Catta]

I always hear guys at work say that it would be impossible to invade a country like North Korea, but when a country is entirely dependent on other nations for food, wouldn't it be fairly easy to starve them out?

Its easy to starve them out but you can be sure the civilians are the last who gets food then.

[bekilrwale]

Feeding a nation is one of the most important things during war. No food means your soldiers can't fight, your arms manufacturers cant work, essentially your war-machine stops dead in its tracks. Food was so important to the Allies in WWII that the United States was willing to ship food across the ocean when the chances of being sunk were 1/4. We were sending ships out in such a vast quantity that we didn't necessarily care about losing some ships and supplies so long as SOME food made it to Great Britain.

[semaphore]

I always hear guys at work say that it would be impossible to invade a country like North Korea

Who says that?

The only reason North Korea still exists is that China wants it to exist as a buffer state. It's more likely to just fall apart if serious fighting ever breaks out.

[Skroe]

Very easy. Also one of the most illegal things you can do in Warfare since World War II, like poisioning the water supply.

If collapse of government infrastructure incidentally causes food shortages, that is "no one's fault". But its a massive war crime to "starve them out".

With modern technology, any industrialized country could destroy another's food supply in an afternoon.

[Deleted]

Very easy. Also one of the most illegal things you can do in Warfare since World War II, like poisioning the water supply.

If collapse of government infrastructure incidentally causes food shortages, that is "no one's fault". But its a massive war crime to "starve them out".

With modern technology, any industrialized country could destroy another's food supply in an afternoon.

Considering NKs biggest import is foreign aid, I doubt refusing to send any classes as a warcrime. If we stop sending food to africa is that a warcrime?

[Silhouette of Seraphim]

Who says that?

Guys at work. Can't you read?!

[Skroe]

Who says that?

The only reason North Korea still exists is that China wants it to exist as a buffer state. It's more likely to just fall apart if serious fighting ever breaks out.

It's not "impossible", just costly.

The biggest part of the North Korean puzzle is how to destroy the 30,000 artillery pieces, many of them with chemical weapon payloads, aimed at Seoul, in about 30 minutes. South Korea could on it's own military devastate North Korea, but their capital would be extremely damaged.

You solve that, and North Korea is just another crappy post-Soviet Union 3rd world military.

---------- Post added 2012-08-11 at 08:02 PM ----------

Considering NKs biggest import is foreign aid, I doubt refusing to send any classes as a warcrime. If we stop sending food to africa is that a warcrime?

We can refuse to send of course. That isn't a war crime.

I'm talking like, using defoliant on their crops and launching air strikes on their grain silos.

[Deleted]

North Korea is a toothless tiger without claws, it can still roar and look mean, but thats about it. If they cannot even feed their own people, no way they can afford to maintain a war, the system would collapse very quickly once food stocks ran out.

Which is the main problem. The western nations know this yet keep throwing them food, even though that enables them to use their money on military and build nukes. If they stopped it the people in there would finally realize something is wrong, for they are starving, and revolt. And then we, the other nations, could support the uprising against the gouvernment.

The problem now is that the other countries took care of N. Korea so much that it now has nukes, so we don't know if they might actually decide to use them in case they don't get their food. Nations giving them food till now were fools and because of them other nations are paying now.

---------- Post added 2012-08-11 at 11:11 PM ----------

It's not "impossible", just costly.

The biggest part of the North Korean puzzle is how to destroy the 30,000 artillery pieces, many of them with chemical weapon payloads, aimed at Seoul, in about 30 minutes. South Korea could on it's own military devastate North Korea, but their capital would be extremely damaged.

You solve that, and North Korea is just another crappy post-Soviet Union 3rd world military.

I find three choices here:
1. Have a costly decade long operation planting operatives in most major army places. At the right time, they detonate explosives while S. Korea fires on what's left.
2. This is the "anger China" option: have more nations shoot at N. Korea, but China would be pissed, so this is not a welcome solution.
3. Suggest China that the time for buffer states is gone, we all have missles and crap bla bla... and N. Korea doesn't give them any benefit etc etc then when they ask something like "so what, should we let you interfere?" we answer "no, we actually were hoping you'd annex them", so the option of China annexing N. Korea. Although China isn't an amazing country, the standards of living are better then that of N. Korea and we know China doesn't sit with paranoia for its neighbours, this could actually lead to a relaxation of the area. And we can lure China to annex N. Korea by telling them of resources in N.Korea, talking about strategic importance and them actually being more loved since they helped dying people etc.

[haxartus]

Why do you think Germany lost WWII ? They weren't prepared for the Soviet Winter. Low food supply, no proper clothing, military tech starting to give up from the cold. The Battle of Stalingrad was a logistical win for the Soviets, among other things.

[Jersovic]

Very easy. Also one of the most illegal things you can do in Warfare since World War II, like poisioning the water supply.

Is that actually enforced though? If I recall wasn't Russia essentially starving the German people? I don't remember the particular details, but I do remember in my high school history book it describing American and British pilots having to air drop food in for the German people.

[checking facts]

according to varian wrynn, not important at all. see westfall lol

[Simulacrum]

North Korea is a toothless tiger without claws, it can still roar and look mean, but thats about it. If they cannot even feed their own people, no way they can afford to maintain a war, the system would collapse very quickly once food stocks ran out.

They have tons of long-range weapons pointed at South Korean population centers. Even if they do fall apart within weeks they'd still kill hundreds of thousands of people, and probably lose millions in soldiers and civilians if they actually fought to the end, then followed by the total crisis that would be trying to deal with the shitstorm that is societal collapse and a 24+ million strong brainwashed populace that probably will not be symapthetic to anyone who attacks them.

[DeltrusDisc]

North Korea is a toothless tiger without claws, it can still roar and look mean, but thats about it. If they cannot even feed their own people, no way they can afford to maintain a war, the system would collapse very quickly once food stocks ran out.

The rice. Think of the rice!

Yeah, when I was younger I feared the idea of going to war with North Korea, just thinking about NK fighting back, but now I've studied it a bit more, NK is a joke, the real issue if this war happened, would be if China cared or not. One would hope China would stop trying to protect the pathetic little pointless genocidal nation.... =/

Also, 10,000 posts!!!

[killerlee]

Very easy. Also one of the most illegal things you can do in Warfare since World War II, like poisioning the water supply.

If collapse of government infrastructure incidentally causes food shortages, that is "no one's fault". But its a massive war crime to "starve them out".

With modern technology, any industrialized country could destroy another's food supply in an afternoon.

You mean how Hitler poisoned the Jews water supply with fluoride... i mean the US government poisoning the people with fluoride in the water.. i mean uhm.. doh iv'e done it now..

[goobernoob]

The rice. Think of the rice!

Yeah, when I was younger I feared the idea of going to war with North Korea, just thinking about NK fighting back, but now I've studied it a bit more, NK is a joke, the real issue if this war happened, would be if China cared or not. One would hope China would stop trying to protect the pathetic little pointless genocidal nation.... =/

Also, 10,000 posts!!!

yeah, america would survive if we went to war with north korea we could lose a bunch of troops but our territory would be unharmed... south korea on the other hand has quite a bit of its population in artillery range of the north and they might even have a way of getting a nuke into south korea, possibly even japan (unlikely given their missile success rate but still possible)

and gratz on 10k =)