Stygian Myth: U.S. Riverine Operations Against the Guerilla.

Abstract

This thesis examines the application of U.S. riverine warfare tactics against a guerrilla opponent in three unconventional conflicts: the Second Seminole Indian War (1835-42), the Vietnam War (1965-72), and the Colombian Drug War (1989-present). The three cases provide a means to establish tactical trends and constants of riverine warfare. From these trends and constants, the authors present implications for a present and future U.S. riverine warfare capability. Most notably, this thesis dispels the myth that absolute control of a riverine area can be achieved by a small force without resorting to total war. The three case studies provided the means to examine the effectiveness of those tactics that have prevailed throughout the history of riverine operations.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1994
Accession Number
ADA295477

Entities

People

  • Braddock W. Treadway
  • Mark Freitas

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boats
  • Civil War
  • Combat Areas
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Employment
  • Geography
  • Gunfire
  • Marine Transportation
  • Military History
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Reconnaissance
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare
  • Weapons Effects

Readers

  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Systems Analysis and Design