RetroWarTHINK 002: Korean War Wagons!

Korean War Wagons!

A fellow U.S. Army officer writes:

Something similar existed in Korea during the Chosun era after the Imjin War with Japan called the Munjong wagon. It was basically a small cannon mounted on a wagon that could slide out screens to extend coverage. It had heavy wood construction with iron plated armor. After facing Japanese arquebuses the Koreans figured out they were needed firepower but instead of equipping infantry with guns of their own they instead opted to make these Munjong wagons to which Koreans think they have invented the world’s first tank. That’s obviously not true and really nothing like any modern definition of what we consider tanks. Also there was never any historical case of use in battle because there were no wars (some rebellions) in Korea from Imjin War up to the late 19th Century. Today no such Munjong wagon exists other than a few of those mounted small cannons. There are only graphic depictions and recorded inventory. 

The point is that that armor, firepower, and mobility are timeless principles of war.