What the US Army Should Do About Urban Guerrilla Warfare
Abstract
This paper is addressed to the problem of what the US Army should do about urban guerrilla warfare. It concentrates on strategy and broad principles. It discusses some observations on and theories of guerrilla warfare, the urban environment, definition of and conditions for urban guerrilla warfare, strategic goals, operational objectives and military characteristics and typology of the urban guerrilla movement, phases of urban guerrilla war, converse strategic goals, operational objectives and policies of government engaged in stability operations. It suggests the possibility of strategic urban guerrilla warfare as a form of war. It discusses legal and doctrinal considerations for the US Army and the possible US Army roles in urban stability operations and strategic guerrilla warfare. It concludes: that the US Army should develop strategic and tactical doctrine for the conduct of urban stability operations; that the US Army Institute for Military Assistance be assigned the task of developing doctrine and training for urban guerrilla warfare; that a type US Army organization be developed for employment in urban stability operations; that said doctrine and training programs stress education and training in the behavioral sciences; that a US Army manual be published on urban guerrilla warfare; and that the role of the US Army in strategic urban guerrilla warfare be studied further.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 05, 1975
- Accession Number
- ADA012619
Entities
People
- Vincent C. Lopez
Organizations
- United States Army War College