Counterguerrilla Operations

The 1986 Printing. The aims, objectives, and methods of guerrilla warfare differ greatly from those of conventional warfare. To be successful in countering this type of war, the planners of counterguerrilla operations must understand the enemy and the unique environment in which he operates. This manual provides commanders and staffs of brigade elements and below with concepts and doctrine concerning the conduct of counter- guerrilla operations by US forces in insurgency and conventional conflict environments. It provides a general overview of US counterin- surgency strategy and the impact that strategy has on counterguerrilla operations. It provides planning, training, and operational guidance for commanders and staffs conducting counterguerrilla operations. The doctrine provides principles to guide the actions of US forces conducting counterguerrilla operations. In applying these principles, the commander must be aware that the situation in each counterguerrilla operation is unique. Techniques and tactics applied successfully in one situation may not be suitable if applied in the same manner in another situation. The principles in this manual are guides to be adapted to each counterguerrilla situation.

The Army's official handbook on how to fight guerrilla insurgencies. The U.S. Army has studied every condition under which it may be called into action, and the possibility of a guerrilla insurgency is no exception. As many have noted, the United States military will likely engage in more small- and medium- scale hostilities against guerrillas than in classic Cold War European Theater scenarios. Available here for the first time is the Army's official document on guerrilla insurgencies-such as the insurgency in Iraq-and how to deal with them. The U.S. Army Counterguerrilla Operations Handbook identifies what constitutes an insurgency, the conditions that foster insurgencies, likely insurgents, and the overall goals of insurgent groups. It then goes on to describe in detail the specifics of how to overcome guerrilla operations in conventional and unconventional conflicts, including: Vulnerable populations Offensive and defensive operations How to counter common guerrilla tactics Reconnaissance, surveillance, and intelligence Tunnel combat and hit-and-run ambushes Smoke, flame, herbicides, and riot control agents Civil disturbances and searches Psychological operations In addition, the handbook describes how strategic and political considerations can outweigh military considerations, and gives guidance on when the military's mission is accomplished.

This volume in the Praeger Security International (PSI) series Classics of the Counterinsurgency Era by two officers-one from the Philippines and the other from America-who fought as guerrillas against the Japanese occupation and went on to defeat the Huk rebellion after World War II. Unlike many other accounts of counterinsurgency operations that focus on theoretical principles and their tactical applications, the authors examine the means to assess the strengths and weaknesses of insurgencies. An enduring contribution of this book is its emphasis on the importance of intelligence in combating insurgent movements. With a new foreword prepared by Kalev Sepp.