The introduction of attack helicopters to the battlefield opened a new dimension for ground combat forces. This monograph examines history to identify those characteristics that make an arm effective in the shock role and to assess the modern...
This paper explores the capacity of an airborne division to inflict operational shock in mid to high-intensity conflict as part of a Joint Task force (JTF). The United States faces a multi-faceted and complex security environment in its new role as...
Operation Iraqi Freedom introduced the phrase of "Shock and Awe " into the general lexicon of US officers and the press alike. As a term it is an undefined and as an effect poorly understood, especially within the realm of asymmetric warfare. This...
Combat operations in the urban area are not new to warfare. The United States' military conducted large-scale urban operations in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. During the last sixty years, the United States' Army approached the urban area by...
This paper examines the question whether systems theory, and the concepts of systems-shock and the center of gravity are compatible and have any utility in military planning. Currently there is a debate between systems theory proponents who argue...
From the Classical Period until the Seventeenth century, the study of warfare was practiced predominantly using the vehicle of history. The scientific revolution, ushered in by Newtonian laws, had a major impact on Western military thinking. By...
In a time where the role of heavy mechanized units seems to play a secondary part to the rapid deployability and lightning-quick raids conducted by light forces, understanding how "shock battle " can still be waged at the operational and tactical...
The Army After Next (AAN) wargames surface a ubiquitous and recurring issue. AAN dominance in open terrain prompts the enemy to seek the protection of complex urban terrain. This response effectively nullifies the AAN Battle Force advantages gained...
In 1969, President Nixon started the now well-known "War on Drugs." The reason behind his "declaration" of war was the increasing national security threat posed by the transnational drug trafficking organizations. With the aim of making as much...
In 1993, the Bottom-Up Review (BUR) concluded that the United States could fight and win in two nearly simultaneous major regional conflicts (MRCs). Nearly simultaneous required that the two MRCs be spaced at least 42 days apart to allow adequate...
This monograph analyzes the effectiveness of US Army Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield doctrine to identify and target enemy psychological vulnerabilities. The focus is on the heavy division. First, the monograph evaluates US Army heavy...
The 1993 version of FM 100-5 advertises itself as concentrating on the operational level of war. It defines several terms that are used in operational art, but inadequately explains how they relate to one another. The terms and definitions...
The transformation of the Army from its current “legacy” structure to the Objective Force is predicated on the realization of significant technological advances and the evolution of a “general-purpose” combat force. Today’s forces,...
After toppling the regime of Saddam Hussein in a few weeks, the decisive operational maneuver victory was not enough to defeat the enemy’s will to fight. Instead of challenging US forces in a conventional military battle, the enemy has now sought...
"This reference note has been prepared to acquaint the artilleryman with the Army Medical Department--its mission, personnel, and capabilities. Medical implications of training, supply, and field operations are presented to assist the artilleryman...
War, diplomacy and economic sanctions are three cornerstones of strategy that have, in the past, successfully coerced rogue regimes to capitulate. However, it may be time to look beyond these persuasion techniques and develop a new method that can...
This monograph answers the question "What is the operational significance of the employment of fortified regions for NATO and the United States?". The background for the reintroduction of fortified regions into the Soviet force structure of the...