The vci were the estimated 100,000 clandestine operatives living within south vietnamese society that supported the viet cong and north vietnamese units in the field. A rmy c o u nterin su rgen c y a nd c ontingen c y o per a tion s d o c trine, 18601941 a ndrew j. As this study notes, according to the cia, antiinfrastructure operations including those carried out by the prus, the national police, and allied conventional military units were. Insurgency is, arguably, one of the greatest threats to global peace, security and development in the contemporary times. With this in mind, leroy thompson describes the techniques best employed in a variety of situations, all illustrated with pictures and explained. The counter counterinsurgency manual critiques that strategy and offers a blueprint for resistance. For five years during the vietnam war, as part of its counterinsurgency strategy, the united states executed an attack, code named the phoenix program, against the viet cong infrastructure vci. Throughout the program, phoenix neutralized 81,740 people suspected of vc membership, of whom 26,369 were killed and. This book presents an analysis of the most significant british counter insurgency campaigns of the past 60 years. To understand counterinsurgency, one must understand insurgency to comprehend the dynamics of revolutionary warfare. Now can you expand a little bit on what the phoenix program was, and how it might be applicable to iraq today. Reconceputalizing threat and response 2004, by steven metz and raymond a. The cornerstone of any coin effort is establishing security for the. Jul 07, 2014 while as a work of history the phoenix program is one of the most important books ever written on the cia and the military, on the birth of us counter terror policy, and government sponsored.
How do we measure counterinsurgency success in afghanistan. The phoenix program as a case study columbia international. Cords as a model for counterinsurgency campaign design. Counter insurgency in rhodesia london et al croom helm, c1985, by jakkie cilliers pdf at filed under.
The phoenix program and contemporary counter insurgency, santa monica, ca. Basic characteristics of insurgency and the whole of. Sep 04, 2017 contemporary insurgency and counterinsurgency is a complex mosaic involving many players. An insurgency is a form of intrastate conflict, and counterinsurgency coin is used to counter it. This study helps balance claims about the program s effectiveness against charges of. Kubarkcounterintelligence manual and codename for cia. Modern insurgencies and counter insurgencies pdf download. Airpower in counterinsurgency and stability operations. In this version, he refers to the phoenix program as unfairly maligned but highly effective and that contrary to popular. It is based on lessons learned from previous counterinsurgencies and contemporary operations. Armymarine corps counterinsurgency field manual, which was introduced in. Many, if not all, of the phoenix program materials were created or collected and donated by douglas valentine.
The evolving role of intelligence in counterinsurgency. Lessons for contemporary counterinsurgency operations kindle edition by tovo, ltc ken. Six requirements for success in modern counterinsurgency. Feb 28, 2007 insurgency has been the most prevalent form of conflict in the modern world since the end of the second world war. Macvs alleged flawed counterinsurgency and reliance upon. The phoenix program was premised on the idea that infiltration had required local support from noncombat civilian populations, which were referred to as the political branch that had purportedly coordinated the insurgency. Theory of insurgency and counterinsurgency counter insurgency campaigns are won not by body counts, but by the absence of killing and satisfying citizens hopes, greg mills 1. Insurgents capitalize on societal problems, often called gaps. A counterinsurgency or counterinsurgency coin is defined by the united states department of state as comprehensive civilian and military efforts taken to simultaneously defeat and contain insurgency and address its root causes an insurgency is a rebellion against a constituted authority when those taking part in the rebellion are not recognized as belligerents. Of the five key factors for insurgency, arguably the most important is the insurgents primary objective. Army counterinsurgency and contingency operations doctrine 18601941 u. The primary objective varied widely among the insurgencies from social and political revolution to local autonomy and independence. The history of the phoenix program offers much in the way of lessons to contemporary.
Malaya 194860, kenya 195260, south arabia 196267, the first decade of the northern irish aetroublesaetm 196979, and the recent british counter insurgency campaign in southern iraq 200309. Province intelligence and operations coordination center. Understanding and countering the threat, in the mipt terrorism annual 2006 oklahoma city, ok, national memorial institute for the prevention of terrorism, 2006, pp. In general terms i would deconstruct the manual as it is now and break the singular link that it has with a certain theory of. It is usually a colonels war because brigade and battalion commanders have the best grasp of the local situation. Aug 01, 2002 worldrenowned expert in the fields of counter terrorism, hostage rescue and vip protection, leroy thompson has now produced the most uptodate guide to counter insurgency.
The volume brings together classic articles on the counter insurgency experience since 1945. Retired colonel andy finlayson with advice on iraq, iran. As an example of dubious scholarship on this issue, it is interesting to note that david kilcullen has called for a global phoenix program 40 in the 30 november 2004 version of his countering global insurgency article which is posted to the small wars journal website, and can be found at. Moore, social origins of dictatorship and democracy. Us military experience with counter insurgency primarily occurred during the 1920s and 1930s in the caribbean and central america leading to the development of the marines small wars manual 1940. Accordingly, it has posed a major challenge to conventional armed forces, all of whom have had to evolve counter insurgency methods in response. This manual continues the efforts of fm 324, counterinsurgency, in combining the historic approaches to coin with the realities of todays operational environment oean environment modified by a population explosion, urbanization, globalization, technology, the spread. Opinion behind the phoenix program the new york times. This field manual marine corps warfighting publication establishes doctrine fundamental principles for military operations in a counterinsurgency.
South vietnamese initiative known as the phung hoang or phoenix program. While the possibility of conventional conflict remains, the fact is that, at the moment, the main powers of the international system are deeply reluctant to engage in it. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Rarely is an insurgency monolithic, it is usually a loose coalition of various groups, including criminal organiza. Doc the evolving role of intelligence in counterinsurgency. The paradox of counterinsurgency the canadian armed. United states military doctrine and the conduct of counter. While ground forces relearned and incorporated counterinsurgency coin lessons, airmen explored how airpowers flexibility, responsiveness, and birdseye view of the battlefield could respond to those lessons. The phoenix program was a program designed, coordinated, and executed by the united states central intelligence agency cia, united states special operations forces, special forces operatives from the australian army training team vietnamaattv,1 and the republic of vietnams south vietnam security apparatus during the vietnam war. Originated by the south vietnamese, it became known as phoenix. British counterinsurgency from malaya to iraq,journal of strategic. Written by the founders of the network of concerned anthropologists, the counter counterinsurgency manual explores the ethical and intellectual conflicts of the pentagons human terrain system. Insurgency will be a large and growing element of the security challenges faced by the united states in the 21st century.
His experiences both in the field and in training showcase the latest methods and technologies available and this fully illustrated book reveals many of the secrets of his. Counterinsurgency open pdf 14 mb this field manual marine corps warfighting publication establishes doctrine fundamental principles for military operations in a counterinsurgency coin environment. Armymarine corps counterinsurgency field manual, published in 2007, which states. The phoenix program and contemporary counterinsurgency rand. Explaining variation in colombian counter insurgency. Much as green berets fought against a similarly rural insurgency during the vietnam war through the civilian irregular defense group program, us. Since the middle of the 20th century, intrastate conflict has become the prevailing form of warfare worldwide. An insurgency is an organized, protracted politicomilitary struggle designed to weaken the control and legitimacy of an established government, occupying power, or other. While india has accumulated a wealth of counterinsurgency coin experience that has varied in terms of continued. Apr 23, 2018 contemporary coin doctrine contemporary counter insurgency doctrine embraces the necessity of placing civilians at the centre of military operations.
Learning from our past how a vietnamera pacification program can. This manual takes a general approach to counterinsurgency operations. Response program in action, and to literally use money as a. The point is that counterinsurgency operations can be part of fid, and unconventional warfare is an aspect of counterinsurgency operations but neither fullydefine the tasks necessarily addressed at the operational level. The authors provide a fresh assessment of operations against the viet cong underground during the vietnam war and suggest lessons for contemporary. In modern counter insurgency the side may win which best. Dec 16, 2006 you had the phoenix program with national police and prus, and the like, and it was a very, very effective program at rooting out the political infrastructure that really is at the root of the insurgency. As the program developed over time, it was extremely effective and severely hindered the insurgency s ability to support operations against the regime. In modern counter insurgency, the side may win which best mobilises and energises its global, regional and local support base and prevents its adversaries doing likewise. However, it also must be informed by contemporary experiences. The taliban, however, remained a rural insurgency where measuring success along these lines of effort was difficult, and the topdown approach was ineffective at best and counterproductive at worst. Effective counterinsurgents were best recruited from among the native. Retired colonel andy finlayson with advice on iraq, iran and. The phoenix program, american clandestine policing in vietnam.
Military academy, department of military instruction. Contemporary counter insurgency, in this regard, combines military objectives with approaches commonly associated with peacebuilding, such as security sector reform, promotion of the rule of law, economic development and support for civil society. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading from the ashes of the phoenix. Army and marine corps counterinsurgency field manual. Insurgency is the organized use of subversion and violence to seize, nullify, or challenge political control of a region.
The phoenix program was a program designed, coordinated, and executed by the united states central intelligence agency cia, united states special operations forces, special forces operatives from the australian army training team vietnam aattv, 1 and the republic of vietnams south vietnam security apparatus during the vietnam war. Dec 29, 2017 the phoenix program would become one of the most controversial aspects of americas war in vietnam. A successful counterinsurgency needs an explicit strategy for winning the trust and. All usg coin strategies, plans, programs, and activities that are. Historical precedents and implications for contemporary counter insurgency and counter terrorism, small wars and insurgencies 202009, pp. The army and marine corps recognize that every insurgency is contextual and presents its own set of challenges.
Since the dawn of this millennium, the incidence has been on a steady rise. Counterinsurgency actually began in vietnam during the indochina war 1946 1954. You cannot fight former saddamists and islamic extremists the same way you would have fought the viet cong, the moros, or the tupamaros. Counterinsurgency operations include many different facets.
B irtle c enter of nited m ilit a ry h i s tory u s t a te. The phoenix program was a program designed, coordinated, and executed by the united states central intelligence agency cia, united states special operations forces, special forces operatives from the australian army training team vietnamaattv, and the republic of vietnams. Strategy and the phoenix of american capability 1995, by steven metz pdf with commentary at armywarcollege. Most fundamentally, we might reconsider the classical conception of counter insurgency as a competition for legitimate government, seeing it instead as a competition to mobilise, interpreted in the broadest sense. What is the difference between counterinsurgency and.
The phoenix program and contemporary counterinsurgency. The australia army counterinsurgency and small wars reading. Aug 03, 2012 now as then, the united states military continues to see itself as the solution to the problem rather than part of it, and while many, many americans are tired of both conflicts, very few have taken issue with the notion of counter insurgency retailed in the armymarine corps counterinsurgency field manual university of chicago press, 2007. The phoenix program, a program funded by the counter intelligence agency cia and working with the cords program, and its lessons learned is discussed in dale andrade and lieutenant colonel james willbanks article published in 2006, cords phoenix to aid in this relationship, the cia supported multiple covert operations to train the south. And if insurgency is the main issue for the us, then we need a variety of methods to potentially apply, it cant all be populationcentric. Counter insurgency is fast becoming one of the most important aspects of police and military work around the world, with forces often deployed at short notice to fight against an illdefined enemy.
Tasks at the theater strategic and national strategic level are very broad, and an. Modernday advocates of the program argue that it was devastatingly effective, but detractors condemn it as a merciless assassination campaign. American actions during the vietnam war through the phoenix program. Psychological operations in guerrilla warfare, by tayacan text at small wars manual 1940 edition, by united states marine corps. Vietnamese myth and modernday nationalism that seemed somehow to make. Also, the population relocation focus the program started with based on the british. By providing modern weapons and technical support to police and promoting political. Indias approach to counterinsurgency and the naxalite. Fresh interest in the history of counterinsurgency has focused renewed attention on the phoenix program, the united states primary effort to improve intelligence coordination and operations aimed at identifying and dismantling the communist underground during the vietnam war. The army and the marine corps recognize that every insurgency is contextual and presents its own set of challenges. But, in contemporary unconventional warfare the use of force is.
The authors explore the counter insurgency theory and political process model to explain. The wars in afghanistan and iraq have refocused attention on past u. Irregular warfare homeland security digital library. For an excellent treatment of the us armys difficulty incorporating counter insurgency techniques see krepinevich 1986. For five years during the vietnam war, as part of its counterinsurgency strategy, the united states executed an attack, codenamed the phoenix program, against the viet cong infrastructure vci. Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription. Geraint hughes and christian tripodi, anatomy of a surrogate. Today, the united states is faced with another insurgency, conducted by militant islamic fundamentalist organizations that seek the overthrow of friendly regimes, the reestablishment of an. Written by the founders of the network of concerned. Department of the army, field manual 324, counterinsurgency basically defined insurgency as. Google scholar, the phoenix program and contemporary counter insurgency. Critique of fm 324, by one of the project team members published by the us army. The us army marine corps, counterinsurgency field manual, university of chicago.
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