| With the development of communist ideology and | | | | to them before hand and the anticipated Guerrillas |
| lately Islamic Jihad concepts Guerrilla Warfare has | | | | plan of action. A degree of independence in |
| gained great importance. The Islamic jihad or holy | | | | operations is called for. |
| war concept is presently the biggest challenge to the | | | | In actual battle many methods are known to |
| United States and other democracies. After the end | | | | annihilate the Guerrilla Force. The encirclement tactics |
| of 2nd World War, the communist put forward the | | | | and destruction through surprise attack and hunt with |
| theory of revolutionary war and South East Asia | | | | large Air Force Support including unmanned drones |
| became a testing ground. The victory of Ho-Chi-Minh | | | | and helicopter gunships are known to be successful. |
| over the French and subsequent Guerrilla Warfare in | | | | However the biggest aim of the troops fighting a |
| Indo-China and Malaya have given us much insight | | | | guerrilla operation is the political aim. |
| and we can now formulate some ideas to control | | | | (a) This is the most important point and may well |
| and fight a Guerrilla operation, particularly of the | | | | decide who wins a battle/war with Guerrilla troops. |
| Islamic variety that is now a days the biggest | | | | We have already stated that the Guerrilla lives of the |
| challenge. Before we proceed further it must be | | | | Land and people. Conversely, if the Guerrilla is isolated |
| stated that no country before the present age has | | | | from the land and people he loses ground and would |
| so far ever trained anti-Guerrilla troops. The Germans | | | | be annihilated. This isolation can be achieved by |
| made an attempt, but it was a crude effort and | | | | psychologically winning over the masses. History |
| doomed to failure as by then the war was lost. But | | | | shows that by their misdeeds the Germans roused |
| does this mean that the Guerrilla operations cannot | | | | the partisan spirit of the Russians and Chiang Kai |
| be controlled? Modern Guerrilla tactics are based on | | | | Sheik did the same in China. So, it is very important |
| the Mao-Marx theory and practice where the Gnats | | | | to win the people over from the Guerrilla Band. |
| exhaust the Giant who cannot use his superior | | | | Interestingly enough one could loosely compare a |
| strength. To counter this, the Giant must immunize | | | | Guerrilla band with a band of Robbers. The robber |
| himself against Gnats and, in addition, find ways and | | | | band has all the characteristics of a Guerrilla army in |
| means to utilize his superior strength. | | | | homogeneity respect for chief, bravery, knowledge |
| The first step in this direction was the manual issued | | | | of land and terrain, and in some cases complete |
| by the Germans in 1944 called the "MANUAL OF | | | | understanding of the tactics to be used. The band |
| WARFARE" against bands for all services of the | | | | lacks only the support of the people and a political |
| Armed Forces. Unfortunately, as the war was already | | | | aim to unite the support of the masses. Inevitably |
| lost, the Germans had no time to put this into | | | | therefore, the robber band is hunted down, arrested |
| practice. However, its practical value cannot be | | | | and exterminated. Keeping the above in mind, |
| over-rated. It is a classic on anti-band Warfare. | | | | anti-Guerrilla troops must be seem to be just and |
| Further the American operations in Vietnam and the | | | | avoid violence against the masses. |
| Indian Army's experience in fighting insurgency in | | | | (a) Isolate villages known/suspected to be harboring |
| Kashmir and the North east can lead us to the | | | | Guerrilla forces, as was done in Malaya, and improve |
| following for containing, controlling and eliminating | | | | the living and economic conditions of the villagers. |
| Guerrilla operations:- | | | | (b) The breeding ground of Guerrilla activities is |
| (a) PROTECTION: Everything that is important in the | | | | economic misery. In case this is eliminated the |
| conduct of a war must be protected against the | | | | Guerrillas would loose much of their force. The |
| Guerrilla troops. This is a fairly vast idea. For, there | | | | Maoists who are operating in central India and control |
| are a great many objects which are vital. E.g., | | | | vast tracts of territory have been able to do so |
| Railways, Roads, Industries, Installations and the | | | | because of the lack of development in those areas. |
| troops themselves. Engaging a large body of troops | | | | It's a sad commentary that while the Indian |
| for the purpose is not practicable and therefore, not | | | | Government developed Bombay and Delhi the vast |
| the answer in order to provide effective protections, | | | | country side saw no development, no roads, and no |
| the troops must be in full physical control of all vital | | | | drinking water-only abject poverty. So is it any |
| installations and areas surrounding them. Additionally, | | | | surprise that the Maoists are thriving? |
| at base 300 yards surrounding these installations | | | | (c)Another breeding ground is religious zeal. This in a |
| must be free of obstacles, declared protected and | | | | way is also related to economic misery and more so |
| intruders shot. No effective protection would work | | | | ignorance. The Islamic jihadis play on the ignorance of |
| out if the adjoining country on either side is not | | | | the people and distort the religious texts to suit |
| under complete control. Hence, without going into the | | | | theirpurpose. |
| details we can say that all adjoining areas must be | | | | The Islamic Jihadists thus have for their own purpose |
| physically held and:-i. Cleared of all obstacles up to | | | | gallivanized a large number of people to fight in the |
| 300 yards.ii. The above area is declared protected | | | | name of Islam. They refer to it as a religious war and |
| and unauthorized people be shot. | | | | portray it as a fight between good and evil. This is a |
| (b) INTELLIGENCE: Anti Guerrilla Forces Intelligence | | | | major threat for the Western Democracies, India as |
| has the same objective as that of Guerrillas. For this | | | | well as Russia and even China. |
| purpose, extensive use of slow A/C for | | | | Guerrilla Warfare is a formidable way, short of a total |
| reconnaissance may be used. The use of helicopters | | | | General War, for achieving the political objectives of |
| by Americans in Vietnam considerably blunted the | | | | any ideology. The Guerrilla warfare thrives on the |
| edge of the Viet Cong TET Offensive. | | | | support of the people. The communists and now the |
| During the battle the following tasks must be borne | | | | Islamic Jihadists have championed the cause of so |
| in mind:i. To discover all concealed enemy forces.ii. To | | | | called poor or the purity of Islam. The Islamic jihadist |
| recognize in time any attempt at flight or breaking | | | | has also adopted this form of warfare in Afghanistan. |
| away by the Guerrilla.iii. To prevent surface attack | | | | There is no choice but to win over the masses and |
| and ambushiv. To reconnoiter enemy positions and | | | | simultaneously the Guerrilla Bands must be ruthlessly |
| the BATTLE LINES of approach. | | | | hunted down and exterminated. |
| Interrogation of prisoners is one of the best | | | | Since the responsibility for the security of a nation |
| methods of extracting information and this must be | | | | rests with Military forces, effort should be made to |
| done on the spot during battle. | | | | plan and train for counter Guerrilla actions. The soldier |
| (c) BATTLE TECHNIQUES: Drawing upon the | | | | must be trained to be disciplined and operate in |
| experience of troops who have fought the Guerrilla, | | | | jungles deserts and mountains. The Indian army with |
| the following three techniques stand out:-i. | | | | an experience of 40 years in counter insurgency |
| Communication by RADIO and wireless for quick | | | | operations has the Army school of Counter |
| transmission of information supplemented by satellite | | | | insurgency at Warangte in Mizoram. Similar training |
| communication set up.ii. Mobility of troops and | | | | schools need to be set up by all armies. The Guerrilla |
| commander, if necessary by helicopter which allows | | | | Islamic or otherwise can only be defeated at his own |
| them to intervene at decisive spots.iii. Close | | | | game. |
| objectives for the troops which should be informed | | | | |