What are war games and military exercises?

Because of the recent flare up with North Korea, I have read that South Korea and the U.S. would be carrying out "military exercises" and participating in "war games" to delineate power. My question is, what exactly are these war games and military exercises, and what do they actually do?|||The military has exercises every year in Korea, they are called Team Spirit. Sometimes this exercise is moved up or back. It is to ensure that all branches of the military are up to the task of protecting the freedom. I can speak from experience that those exercises are down right miserable cold and wet. I have never gone down range and stayed dry. But is a small price for a soldier to pay for your freedom.|||They are when forces collaborate with each other to train and up-skill their service personnel in the act of war. They are, on the whole, as close to the real thing as one can get. Also, it gives the Generals much needed practice in gathering their forces, feeding, clothing, arming them and directing them in the arft of war. Think of a General as a Director in a theatre and all the soldier as Actors.|||show of force, threat deterrence. training