The Future of Unconventional Warfare.
Abstract
The use of United States Army Special Forces in Unconventional Warfare offers a unique capability to the National Command Authorities that is unduplicated in the world today. Several military thinkers and writers have forecasted the demise of classic Unconventional Warfare since the end of the Viet Nam conflict. History has shown the opposite to be true. Unconventional approaches, including Guerrilla Warfare, Counterguerrilla Warfare, Insurgency, Counterinsurgency, Unconventional Operations and Terrorism are expanding. The United States' experiences with Nicaragua, El Salvador, Kuwait and the Republic of the Philippines resulted in victories for the United States with a low cost in United States lives and casualties. Each of these conflicts included Unconventional Warfare tactics and techniques. The experience in Somalia demonstrates the power of a small unconventional force over a superior, technologically enhanced conventional force. An unconventional force defeated the Ethiopian Army forming the country of Etheria. The explosion of the information age and instantaneous media coverage lend themselves to unconventional operations. This Study examines the application of Unconventional Warfare in the future Arsenal of the United States Army.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 05, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA364059
Entities
People
- Joe E. Kilgore
Organizations
- United States Army War College