Detachment 101 and North Burma: Historical Conditions for Future Unconventional Warfare Operations
Abstract
As military budgets and public support for conflict erode, unconventional warfare (UW) provides the US military with a method to affect strategy without committing significant blood and treasure. Although overt risks to force or mission may be lower with UW there are significant risks associated with this type of warfare. Historically, UW success or failure has often been contingent upon conditions in the operational environment. This monograph used a case study of Detachment 101, a subordinate element of the Office of Strategic Services, to test the hypothesis that an UW campaign's success is determined by how well UW operations exploit favorable conditions in the operational environment. North Burma, Detachment 101's area of operations and one of the most austere and unforgiving environments, delivers numerous examples of how the physical environment can create obstacles and opportunities for UW operations. Additionally, although contemporary UW operations are supported by far more advanced technology, Detachment 101's early UW operations also illustrate how enemy actions, conventional partner force capabilities and limitations, and indigenous populations can be manipulated or influenced by UW or Special Forces elements to achieve desired operational end states.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 26, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1021783
Entities
People
- Steven J. Ackerson
Organizations
- School of Advanced Military Studies