The Battle Behind the Wire: U. S. Prisoner and Detainee Operations from World War II to Iraq

Abstract

In major conflicts dating to World War II and continuing through recent operations in Iraq, U.S. forces have taken a large number of prisoners or detainees. Although prisoner of war (POW) and detainee operations ultimately tend to become quite extensive, military planners and policymakers have repeatedly treated such operations as an afterthought. In reality, such operations can be a central part of the successful prosecution of a conflict. Determining how to gain knowledge from, hold, question, influence, and release captured adversaries can be an important component of military strategy and doctrine, both during the conflict and in reconstruction afterward.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2011
Accession Number
ADA544461

Entities

People

  • Andres Villamizar
  • Cathryn Q. Thurston
  • Cheryl Benard
  • Edward O'connell
  • Elvira N. Loredo
  • Jeremiah Goulka
  • Thomas Sullivan

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Civil War
  • Correctional Facilities
  • Doctrine
  • Employment
  • Geography
  • Interagency Coordination
  • International Law
  • International Relations
  • Military History
  • Military Science
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Recreation
  • Terrorists
  • Vietnam War
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • History

Readers

  • Library and Information Science/ Studies, Southeast Asia Studies, Bibliography of Vietnam and Lao Studies.
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.
  • Strategic Security Studies