Foreign Internal Defense, The Art of Counter-Insurgency and the Combined Action Platoon Concept.
Abstract
This paper examines the Marine Corps' Combined Action Platoon (CAP) program in the Vietnam applicability to possible future counter-insurgency conflicts, as well as today's Foreign Internal Defense (FID) and Internal Defense and Development (IDAD) doctrine. The CAPs of I Corps were established in order to 'clear and hold' selected villages or hamlets, improve the capabilities of the Popular Forces (PFs), conduct civic action, and foster the pacification effort at the grass roots level. The Marines who participated in the CAP program fought the war in the hamlets, while front line Army and Marine units all too often waged war on the hamlets. In comparison to other American units operating in the populated areas of South Vietnam, CAPs killed and captured proportionately more of the enemy at less cost to themselves and were successfully employed as an economy of force asset. CAPs were also able to neutralize the village guerrilla and bring a certain amount of confidence to the villagers and local government officials. There will always be a need to study the lessons of the CAP program and other counter-insurgency efforts. Policy-makers and CINC planners will often find relevence in some of the concepts and methods employed in The past. The U.S. military should retain counter-insurgency expertise in support of FID strategies that will provide the training and readiness required should the U.S. once again become involved in a counter-insurgency conflict.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 20, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA311899
Entities
People
- Thomas J. Arminio
Organizations
- Naval War College