The events of September 11, 2001, catapulted America’s military into two wars with others looming on the horizon. The type of warfare they are conducting is far different from what they had trained for the last quarter of a century. The enemy...
The study of insurgency and counterinsurgency over the years provides a valuable tool for analysis in the current Global War on Terrorism. Failure to take into account and accurately assess political and military actions in such environments can...
Terrorism is not a unique phenomenon. It is merely a tactic of political violence to achieve a political end. An examination of past insurgencies reveals terrorism as a tactic to produce effects against the ruling government or the populace. ...
It is not known against whom or where the United States Army will fight next, nor is it clear what the nature of that conflict will be. What is relatively certain is that the United States Army will likely initially get it wrong, regardless of its...
Guerilla warfare is essential in maintaining sovereignty in a country by defeating conventional armies that are considered an occupying force. The nature of guerilla warfare originated within the roots of government’s weaknesses. Guerilla force...
In Vietnam, the U.S. Marines was aware of the characteristics of the enemy and knew how to fight the enemy while the U.S. Army did not.
Senior General Van Nguyen Giap led the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) during the Vietnam War. Gen Giap’s...
This thesis examines how the Duke of Wellington used Portuguese and Spanish forces during his 1812 Salamanca campaign. Wellington assessed the strengths and weaknesses of his allies, and then leveraged them throughout the campaign within the...
This thesis will analyze Major General George Crook’s performance during the Sioux War of 1876-77 and attempt to answer whether or not Crook successfully fought the Native Americans by effectively implementing the concept of counterinsurgency...
U.S. Army commanders seek to balance the requirements to conduct offensive, defensive and stability operations simultaneously. Within this framework, commanders have also had to balance the conduct of traditional military actions and non-military...
Different people in many countries rise against military occupation using different kinds of fighting techniques. One technique is called guerilla warfare. Leadership, terrain, and strategies are vital to the effectiveness of guerilla warfare;...
Between the years of 1980 – 1992, civil war raged in El Salvador between the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN), a Marxist revolutionary movement, and the government of El Salvador (GoES). This monograph answers the following...
The United States military has conducted counterinsurgency campaigns against violent Islamic extremists for the last eight years and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. However, communication-minded, technology-savvy, insurgencies...
This study examines the potential utilization of Special Operations Forces (SOF) in support of a concept called “Counter-Special Purpose Force (SPF)”—defined by the author as the employment of military or paramilitary forces to find, defeat,...
For the first time since its establishment as a nation, and following four successive victories against various Arab conventional armies between 1948 and 1973, Israel was forced to withdraw militarily from south Lebanon in May 2000. This thesis...
Improvements in technology worldwide have amplified the impact strategic lieutenants and strategic corporals have on strategic matters. These Strategic Soldiers and their respective leaders must not only be aware of their potential influence in a...
A debate is raging within the defense community about the pattern of future war
and how best to prepare for it . One idea gaining acceptance is the concept of hybrid war. The term hybrid war as currently understood has multiple meanings and...
Military historical case studies provide insight for military planners. Military planners cannot afford to ignore history when planning in today's complex environment. This thesis analyzes military doctrinal changes and adaptation during Britain's...
Insurgency is a time-honored form of warfare that allows a weaker opponent to subvert the power of a stronger foe. At the turn of the nineteenth century, Spanish guerrillas waged an effective insurgency against the premier army of the...