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    Default Small Wars: a wide reading list

    Moderator's Note

    Today I merged four other threads into this thread, which is one of the first ever threads (OK 75th). There are a number of similar reading lists (my search term today) which are more specialist: amphibious operations, advisers and the elusive General Mattis reading list. I am sure other lists exist, e.g. Searching for first hand accounts of UW:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=4613 (ends).


    What are you reading in regards to Small Wars? It doesn't necessarily have to be a narrow list focusing on Small Wars either, feel free to list anything that might bring more applicable knowledge to warfare.

    The Elaine Grossman book list is good a place to start.

    Some of the following authors are mentioned in the above list.

    Ralph Peter's essays and books.

    Chapter Ten in Colin Gray's 'Modern Strategy' covers Small War theory and practice.

    Thomas X. Hammes 'The Sling and The Stone'.

    H. John Poole's works.

    Max Boot's 'The Savage Wars of Peace'.

    'The Geography of Thought' by Richard Nisbett covers the Social psychological differences between Asian and Western thinking.

    India's version of Machiavelli: Kautilya's Arthasastra.
    Last edited by davidbfpo; 10-30-2013 at 12:04 PM. Reason: Add Mod's note

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    Moderator Steve Blair's Avatar
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    I find rereading the original Small Wars Manual and the new draft Marine Corps version to be instructive as well.

    Shooter, by Jack Coughlin and others, while not strictly Small Wars does offer some new ways of looking at sniper employment that may prove useful or thought provoking. In a more historical vein, Taking Haiti is interesting but in some places overblown. Actually, I'm working my way through a great deal of stuff on the US involvement in Central America. Mars Learning is perhaps the best look at how the Marine Corps developed its small wars doctrine. Well worth a read (or two).

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    Default Small Wars Readings

    I would highly recommend the following:

    1. Defeating Communist Insurgency by Robert Thompson

    2. Low Intensity Operations by Frank Kitson

    3. Lester Grau's articles on the Battles of Gronzy

  4. #4
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    Default Les Grau's Articles

    I have a lot of Les' articles filed here - Chechnya in the SWJ reference library. Read Tim Thomas' articles also. Both are retired Army LTCs and curently work for the US Army Foreign Military Studies Office. Anything written by Grau and Thomas is worth a look.

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    Council Member Tom Odom's Avatar
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    Default See my post on reference listings

    See my post on Military History.

    I am a fan of both Les Grau and Tim Thomas. Both offer truly valuable insights into the cultural manifestations in the small wars of the USSR and now Russia.

    For Latino and Caribbean basin watchers, look at the work Larry Yates did for CSI on the DomRep and Panama.

    Somalia see Larry Yates and Bon Baumann, again CSI.

    On the Middle East, George Gawrych at CSI. George (now at Baylor) and I team taught Middle East military history in the mid-1980s.

    Scott McMichael's study on light infantry covers Malaysia and is excellent, again CSI.

    On Africa, I have 2 books on the Congo on the CSI site: LP14 on the Dragon Operations in the Congo in 1964; and a study on the Shaba II War in Zaire in 1978. Dave Dillegge will be loading a chapter from my memoirs, Journey into Darkness: Genocide in Rwanda, here next month.

    You can also find some classics like TE Lawrence and Duffer's Drift on the CSI site.

    A 2013 working link:http://regimentalrogue.tripod.com/du...fers_Drift.htm


    Ralph Peters should stick to fiction. His analysis is unbalanced to say the least.

    Best

    Tom Odom
    Last edited by davidbfpo; 05-26-2013 at 08:53 PM. Reason: Updated

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    Council Member zenpundit's Avatar
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    Default Reading list....

    Just finished reading:

    Blueprint For Action by Thomas P.M. Barnett

    Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell

    The Sling and he Stone by Thomas X. Hammes

    Currently reading:

    Unrestricted Warfare by Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui

    Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam by Gilles Keppel

    Reading next:

    Shield of Achilles by Phillip Bobbitt

  7. #7
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    Default SWJ Reading List

    The Small Wars Journal has compiled a reading list of Small Wars and related books. The list can be found here. Any recommended additions would be greatly appreciated.

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    Just a couple of thoughts:

    1. The Last Valley: Dien Bien Phu and the French Defeat in Vietnam, Martin Windrow.
    "This is an outstanding work of military history. It tells the story of the ghastly French experience in Indo-China in a way that has never been done in English. The account of Dien Bien Phu is a masterpiece of meticulous historical narrative" Max Hastings.

    2. Bunch of Five, Frank Kitson. "General Kitson's lively and vivid war autobiography runs from 1952-1967, years generally regarded as years of peace. He spent them fighting, in Kenya, Malaya, Oman or trying to keep other people from fighting in Cyprus ..... He discusses work against armed dissidents frankly and freely, not shirking the revolting details that raise or lower moral and make of break success." The Economist

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    Hailer Publishing specializes in reprinting out of print Military books, specifically those recommended by knowledgeable people.

    Martin

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    War for Muslim Minds by Giles Kepel

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    Default Two New Titles for SWJ Reading List

    I highly recommend two titles that do not appear on the SWJ reading list currently. The first, The Jungle is Neutral was written by Spencer Chapman, DSO, about his experiences waging guerilla warfare against the Japanese in Malaya during WWII. The Second is My Reminiscences of East Africa by Col. Paul von Lettow-Vorbek. Vorbek waged a four-year campaign against British and S. Africa forces during WWI, without resupply.

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    Default Book recommendations

    Both excellent books Menning .

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    Default Advisor Reading List

    I've been looking for a comprehensive list of suggested reading for future advisors, and haven't found much. I know that there are a number of works out there just in the Marine Corps Gazette, I'm sure that the Army's journals have an article or two as well. So, what I'd like to do is start sort of an informal listing of works that you think would be good reading for future TT members. I've started with a short list that is by no means exhaustive, just to get the ball rolling:

    FM 3-07.1 Security Force Assistance

    Maj Brian E. Russell, “Flipping the Switch: Advising Advanced Host-Nation Forces.” Marine Corps Gazette, January 2009.

    CWO5 Terry L. Walker, “Lessons Learned: Valuable Information for Training or Advising Iraqis.” Marine Corps Gazette, June 2008.

    1stLt Brett A. Friedman, “Training In Transition: A Call for Restructuring of Transition Team Training.” Marine Corps Gazette, June 2008.

    Richard M. Cavagnol, LTC Richard L. Hayes and MAJ Daniel C. Turner, “From Vietnam to Iraq: Applying Lessons and Maturing the Advisor-Counterpart Relationship.” Marine Corps Gazette, January 2008.

    Maj Christopher E. Phelps, Michelle Ramsden Zbylutt, and Jason Brunner, “Selecting and Training U.S. Advisors: Interpersonal Skills and the Advisor-Counterpart Relationship.” Marine Corps Gazette, March 2009.

    Col Juan Ayala, “Reflections.” Marine Corps Gazette, March 2008.

    Maj Jack A. Sile and LtCol James B. Higgings, “Intelligence Advising on the Military Transition Team.” Marine Corps Gazette, September 2008.

    Combat Studies Institute, Occasional Paper #19—Advice for Advisors: Suggestions and Observations from Lawrence to the Present. Robert Ramsey, August 2006.

    Combat Studies Institute, Occasional Paper #18—Advising Indigenous Forces: American Advisors in Korea, Vietnam, and El Salvador. Robert Ramsey, June 2006.

    Daniel P. Bolger, “So You Want to Be an Advisor.” Military Review, January-February 2006.

    David Donovan, Once a Warrior King.

    Bing West, The Village.

    Col G. H. Turley, The Easter Offensive: The Last American Advisors, Vietnam, 1972.

    The Marine Advisor: Preparation for Duty Overseas : Motivational Comparison of U.S. Marine Advisors versus Arab Muslims, June 2006.

    Communion in Conflict: The Marine Advisor, Volume II, 1975.

    Communion in Conflict: The Marine Advisor, Volume III, Vietnam 1954-1973, March 2006 (ongoing).

    Communion in Conflict: The Marine Advisor in the Middle East, March 2006 (ongoing).

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    A used, first edition of this has been sitting on the shelf for years. Now might be the time to crack it open. Shouldn't be too hard, the last guy to own it has furiously underlined numerous sections in ballpoint.


    "that" guy

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    Default 2 titles

    1. Security Force Assistance: The Mosul Case - book published here on SWJ by Rob Thornton (lead author), Marc Tyrrell and me, Download is free.
    2. Stalking the Viet Cong (original title: Silence Was a Weapon) by COL (ret.) Stuart Herrington.

    Cheers

    JohnT
    Last edited by davidbfpo; 05-31-2009 at 01:07 PM.

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    Default Historical items

    There is another RFI thread on UW which has suggestions, which may have an application: .

    I suggested some titles then and have thinned it out: http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=4613

    'They Live by the Sword', on the only black SADF infantry unit, 32 Buffalo Battalion by Col. Jan Breytenbach (fighting in Angola & SW Africa; included as unusual)

    'SAS Operation Oman' by Col Tony Jeapes (Dhofar campaign early '70s). See new edition review, under new title: http://smallwarsjournal.com/mag/docs...49-weinger.pdf. There is another book on the campaign, which I've not read: 'We Won the War' by John Akehurst (Pub. 1982).

    'The Frontier Scouts' by Charles Chevenix Trench (para-military forces on British Empire NW Frontier, predecessors of the Frontier Corps)

    'Soldier Sahibs: The men who made the NW Frontier' by Charles Allen (superb book for India 1839-1858, focus on small units and the leaders)

    Some of these titles have appeared on another thread.

    Have any of the books on the Soviet era in Afghanistan touched upon the advisory role? I am sure books on Malaysia refer to this theme, but not read much on that - perhaps our Australian / Kiwi members can help?

    davidbfpo
    Last edited by davidbfpo; 05-31-2009 at 01:42 PM. Reason: Add links and books several times

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    Unfortunately, most of the books I've amassed are on the Vietnam period, so may be of limited utility in the current scenario. They do suggest that mental reconfiguring in a cross-cultural context can be both fascinating and exhausting.

    The most readable Advisor book I've read is probably:

    Combat Recon: My Year With The ARVN

    also good are:

    One Very Hot Day

    A Dragon Lives Forever

    Our War Was Different

    related:

    Talking With Victor Charlie

    anthropology:

    The Village War

    War Comes To Long An

    Village At War

    Village In Vietnam

    Shattered World

    Dynamics Of Defeat

    somewhat related (Malaya):

    alias Chin Peng

    SAS: Secret War In South-East Asia

    somewhat related (Soviets/Afghanistan):

    Soviet-Afghan War: How A Superpower Fought And Lost

    Afghan Tales

    Afghan Guerrilla Warfare

    Soldiers Of God

    The Hidden War

    Afghanistan: Soviet Vietnam

    of interest:

    Analogies At War

    Some of these have been mentioned elsewhere on the Council or may be otherwise familiar to members. Sorry for any repeats.

  19. #19
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    Lightbulb Pre-Masters Program Reading List

    Ladies and Gentlemen,
    As I approach the end of undergrad I am settling on going onto higher levels of education and focusing on National Security and especially terrorism/revolution/small wars and intelligence (as at this moment my long term, hoped for, goal is to join the intelligence community).

    As I have about a year before I begin grad school, always keeping my fingers crossed that I get into one ! I have time to do some reading. So I have compiled a reading list of books that I find interesting (you might notice it's based mostly on posts here at SWJ, go search function!)
    I would like to solicit opinions of my list. I am missing anything? Should I take anything out? Maybe there is theme or certain time period that I am missing? etc, etc...

    Also I know I am missing some history books. For example I recently read "Street Without Joy" and ” The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia." So any suggestions of that type of book would be great.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Social Movements and Organization Theory (Cambridge Studies in Contentious Politics) by Gerald F. Davis

    The Unthinkable Revolution in Iran by Charles Kurzman
    States and Social Revolutions: A Comparative Analysis of France, Russia and China by Theda Skocpol

    The Anatomy of Revolution by Clarence Crane Brinton, Crane Brinton

    THINKING LIKE A TERRORIST: Insights of a Former FBI Undercover Agent by Mike German

    The Al Qaeda Reader by Raymond Ibrahim (Editor)

    U.S. Army Counterinsurgency and Contingency Operations Doctrine, 1942-1976 (Paperbound) by A. J. Birtle

    US Army Counterinsurgency and Contingency Operations Doctrine, 1860-1941 by Andrew J. Birtle (Author)

    The Village by Francis J. West

    The Savage Wars Of Peace: Small Wars And The Rise Of American Power by Max Boot

    Soldier Sahibs: The Daring Adventurers Who Tamed India's Northwest Frontier by Charles Allen

    From Pablo to Osama: Trafficking and Terrorist Networks, Government Bureaucracies, and Competitive Adaptation by Michael Kenney

    Counterinsurgency in Modern Warfare (Companion) by Daniel Marston (Editor), Carter Malkasian (Editor)

    The Insurgent Archipelago (Columbia/Hurst) by John Mackinlay

    Inside Rebellion: The Politics of Insurgent Violence (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics) by Jeremy M. Weinstein

    What Makes a Terrorist: Economics and the Roots of Terrorism (Lionel Robbins Lectures) by Alan B. Krueger

    On Violence (Harvest Book) by Hannah Arendt

    On Revolution (Penguin Classics) by Hannah Arendt

    War of the Flea: The Classic Study of Guerrilla Warfare by Robert Taber

    The Logic of Violence in Civil War (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics) by Stathis N. Kalyvas

    Modern Insurgencies and Counter-Insurgencies: Guerrillas and their Opponents since 1750 (Warfare and History) by I. F. W. Beckett

    Insurgency, Terrorism, and Crime: Shadows from the Past and Portents for the Future (International and Security Affairs) by Max G. Manwaring

    Contra Cross: Insurgency And Tyranny in Central America, 1979-1989 by William R. Meara

    Structured Analytic Techniques for Intelligence Analysis by Richards J. Heuer

    Intelligence Analysis: A Target-Centric Approach, 3rd Edition by Robert M. Clark

    Intelligence Essentials for Everyone by Lisa Krizan (Author)

    The Craft of Intelligence by Allen Welsh Dulles, Allen Dulles

    Insurgency and Counter-Insurgency in Iraq by Ahmed Hashim

    The Afghanistan-Pakistan Theater: Militant Islam, Security & Stability by Hassan Abbas

    Decoding the New Taliban: Insights from the Afghan Field (Columbia/Hurst) by Antonio Giustozzi (Editor)

    Terror in the Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill by Jessica Stern

    Suicide Bombers in Iraq: The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom by Mohammed M. Hafez

    Modern Warfare: A French View of Counterinsurgency (PSI Classics of the Counterinsurgency Era) by Roger Trinquier

    Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism by Robert Anthony Pape
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Thanks

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    Quote Originally Posted by RedRaven View Post
    Ladies and Gentlemen,
    As I approach the end of undergrad I am settling on going onto higher levels of education and focusing on National Security and especially terrorism/revolution/small wars and intelligence (as at this moment my long term, hoped for, goal is to join the intelligence community).

    As I have about a year before I begin grad school, always keeping my fingers crossed that I get into one ! I have time to do some reading. So I have compiled a reading list of books that I find interesting (you might notice it's based mostly on posts here at SWJ, go search function!)
    I would like to solicit opinions of my list. I am missing anything? Should I take anything out? Maybe there is theme or certain time period that I am missing? etc, etc...

    Also I know I am missing some history books. For example I recently read "Street Without Joy" and ” The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia." So any suggestions of that type of book would be great.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Social Movements and Organization Theory (Cambridge Studies in Contentious Politics) by Gerald F. Davis

    The Unthinkable Revolution in Iran by Charles Kurzman
    States and Social Revolutions: A Comparative Analysis of France, Russia and China by Theda Skocpol

    The Anatomy of Revolution by Clarence Crane Brinton, Crane Brinton

    THINKING LIKE A TERRORIST: Insights of a Former FBI Undercover Agent by Mike German

    The Al Qaeda Reader by Raymond Ibrahim (Editor)

    U.S. Army Counterinsurgency and Contingency Operations Doctrine, 1942-1976 (Paperbound) by A. J. Birtle

    US Army Counterinsurgency and Contingency Operations Doctrine, 1860-1941 by Andrew J. Birtle (Author)

    The Village by Francis J. West

    The Savage Wars Of Peace: Small Wars And The Rise Of American Power by Max Boot

    Soldier Sahibs: The Daring Adventurers Who Tamed India's Northwest Frontier by Charles Allen

    From Pablo to Osama: Trafficking and Terrorist Networks, Government Bureaucracies, and Competitive Adaptation by Michael Kenney

    Counterinsurgency in Modern Warfare (Companion) by Daniel Marston (Editor), Carter Malkasian (Editor)

    The Insurgent Archipelago (Columbia/Hurst) by John Mackinlay

    Inside Rebellion: The Politics of Insurgent Violence (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics) by Jeremy M. Weinstein

    What Makes a Terrorist: Economics and the Roots of Terrorism (Lionel Robbins Lectures) by Alan B. Krueger

    On Violence (Harvest Book) by Hannah Arendt

    On Revolution (Penguin Classics) by Hannah Arendt

    War of the Flea: The Classic Study of Guerrilla Warfare by Robert Taber

    The Logic of Violence in Civil War (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics) by Stathis N. Kalyvas

    Modern Insurgencies and Counter-Insurgencies: Guerrillas and their Opponents since 1750 (Warfare and History) by I. F. W. Beckett

    Insurgency, Terrorism, and Crime: Shadows from the Past and Portents for the Future (International and Security Affairs) by Max G. Manwaring

    Contra Cross: Insurgency And Tyranny in Central America, 1979-1989 by William R. Meara

    Structured Analytic Techniques for Intelligence Analysis by Richards J. Heuer

    Intelligence Analysis: A Target-Centric Approach, 3rd Edition by Robert M. Clark

    Intelligence Essentials for Everyone by Lisa Krizan (Author)

    The Craft of Intelligence by Allen Welsh Dulles, Allen Dulles

    Insurgency and Counter-Insurgency in Iraq by Ahmed Hashim

    The Afghanistan-Pakistan Theater: Militant Islam, Security & Stability by Hassan Abbas

    Decoding the New Taliban: Insights from the Afghan Field (Columbia/Hurst) by Antonio Giustozzi (Editor)

    Terror in the Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill by Jessica Stern

    Suicide Bombers in Iraq: The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom by Mohammed M. Hafez

    Modern Warfare: A French View of Counterinsurgency (PSI Classics of the Counterinsurgency Era) by Roger Trinquier

    Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism by Robert Anthony Pape
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Thanks
    Are we a bunch of guys who read the same books?

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