Insurgency And Counterinsurgency In South Africa

South Africa's transition to democracy took place against a backdrop of shadow war between the apartheid regime's counterinsurgency forces and the African National Congress' armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). This book analyses in unprecedented detail the hidden history of MK's struggle and its contribution to South Africa's liberation, while exposing new dimensions of clandestine apartheid-era violence. Drawing on interviews with former MK guerrillas, Daniel Douek traces the evolution of MK's operations across southern Africa from the 1960s, culminating in the 1990-4 negotiations between the ANC and the white supremacist regime. As political violence escalated, the battle waged in the shadows became nothing less than a struggle to shape South Africa's future. Counterinsurgency forces recruited spies, deployed death squads, engaged in psychological warfare, and targeted ANC leaders, including MK chief Chris Hani. Even once ANC elites had come to power, apartheid counterinsurgency operations continued to undermine South Africa's new democracy by marginalizing MK guerrillas within the 'new' security forces, leaving legacies of violence and instability still felt today.

"As the global landscape changes - politically and economically - so governments need to reassess the threats of violence both within and outside their borders. The South African Defence Force is reviewing the likely future threat environment and this book is the result - an aid to thought and understanding in preparing for a future in which insurgencies and other irregular threats loom large. The book outlines key concepts and theoretical constructs relevant to understanding counterinsurgency; assesses the history and current state of South Africa's counterinsurgency capabilities; and, extracts key lessons from recent relevant case studies, such as MONUC in the DRC, counterinsurgency and peacekeeping in Northern Uganda, private security contractors in Nigeria, and the failures of cultural intelligence in Burundi"--TSO online bookshop website.

When originally published in 1985 this volume was the first scholarly and objective contribution available on Rhodesian counter-insurgency. It documents and explains why Rhodesia lost the war. The origins of the conflict are reviewed; each chapter examines a separate institution or counter-insurgency strategy directly related to the development of the conflict, concluding with a summary view of the Rhodesian security situation both past and present.

This two-volume history of counterinsurgency covers all the major and many of the lesser known examples of this widespread and enduring form of conflict, addressing the various measures employed in the attempt to overcome the insurgency and examining the individuals and organizations responsible for everything from counterterrorism to infrastructure building. How and when should counterinsurgency be pursued as insurgency is growing in frequency and, conversely, while conventional warfare continues to decline as a means by which political rivals seek to impose their will upon each other? What lessons from the past should today's policymakers, strategists, military leaders, and soldiers in the field keep in mind while facing off against 21st-century insurgents? This two-volume set offers a comprehensive history of modern counterinsurgency, covering the key examples of this widespread and enduring form of conflict. It identifies the political, military, social, and economic measures employed in attempting to overcome insurgency, examining the work of the individuals and organizations involved, demonstrating how success and failure dictated change from established policy, and carefully analyzing the results. Readers will gain valuable insight from the detailed assessments of the history of counterinsurgency that demonstrate which strategies have succeeded and which have failed--and why. After an introductory essay on the subject, each chapter provides historical background to the insurgency being addressed before focusing on the specific policies pursued and actions taken by the counterinsurgency force. Each section also provides an assessment of those operations, including in most cases an analysis of lessons learned and, where appropriate, their relevance to counterinsurgency operations today. The set's coverage spans modern counterinsurgencies from Europe to Asia to Africa since 1900 and includes the ongoing counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan today. Its wide, international approach to the subject makes the set a prime resource for readers seeking specific information on a particular conflict or a better understanding of the general theories and practices of counterinsurgency. Provides an extremely broad coverage of counterinsurgency that spans the period from 1900 to the present day and addresses geographical areas such as Algeria, India, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan, Malaya, Cyprus, Vietnam, and many other regions and countries Supplies historical and geographical perspectives that enable the reader to examine each chapter as an independent case study and compare and contrast each event with others to draw lessons across time Includes an extensive bibliography that covers all aspects of modern counterinsurgency-based themes, including geographical regions, theory, and tactics

Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Foreword by John Fobanjong -- Introduction -- Abbreviations -- 1. Precolonial and Colonial Insurgencies -- 2. Anticolonial Resistance and National Liberation Movements -- 3. Separatist and Irredentist Movements -- 4. Reformist, Revolutionary, and Islamist Insurgencies -- 5. Genocide, Warlords, and Proxy Wars: Interwoven Themes and Ruthless Insurgents -- 6. Analysis: Classifications, Comparisons, and Conclusions -- Bibliography -- Index -- About the Authors

In-depth case studies of 41 insurgencies since World War II provide evidence to answer a perennial question in strategic discussions of counterinsurgency: When a country is threatened by an insurgency, what efforts give its government the best chance of prevailing? Each case study breaks the conflict into phases and examines the factors and practices that led to the outcome (insurgent win, counterinsurgent win, or a mixed outcome favoring one side or the other). Detailed analyses of the cases, supplemented by data on 30 previously conducted insurgency case studies (and thus covering all 71 historical insurgencies worldwide since World War II), can be found in the companion volume, Paths to Victory: Lessons from Modern Insurgencies. Collectively, the 71 cases span a vast geographic range (South America, Africa, the Balkans, Central Asia, and the Far East) and include examples of governments that attempted to fight the tide of history -- that is, to quell an anticolonial rebellion or uprisings against apartheid.