Sir robert thompsons 1966 book defeating communist insurgency. Oct 11, 2015 in porchs view, both authors continued in a trend set by sir robert thompsons influential defeating communist insurgency by overestimating the effectiveness of british coin and ascribing too much potential to the five coin principles which thompson distilled from his experiences during malayan campaign. The evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that external support is a decisive factor in determining the outcome of an insurgency. Theory and practise, westport, praeger, 1964 and frank kitson, low. Defeating communist insurgency by sir robert thompson presents a broader perspective on counterinsurgency. Defeating communist insurgency scientia militaria south. He wrote a trilogy composed of defeating communist insurgency in 1966, no exit from vietnam in 1969 and the famous revolutionary war. Thompson outlines five basic principles for a successful counter insurgency. Here, an insurgency is defined as an internal struggle in which a disaffected group the insurgents seeks to gain control of a nation. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Sir robert grainger ker thompson kbe cmg dso mc was a british military officer, colonial civil servant and foreign military adviser. Like to study some of the lessons of malaya and vietnam, it is first necessary to consider the background and effects of the second world war. Brigadier clutterbuck provides superb documentation of the military effort in defeating the insurgents.
The civil and military dimensions of dutch counter. Armys conventional battle against the regular north vietnamese army near the demilita rized zone on the north vietnamsouth vietnam border. Sir robert thompson defeating communist insurgency 1966 sir robert h. Defeating communist insurgency the lessons of malaya and vietnam studies in. International affairs, volume 43, issue 1, january 1967, page 183, 10. Efforts to disrupt insurgent safehavens a thesis presented to the faculty of the us army. Sir robert thompson, strategic patience and nixons war in vietnam. Jun 30, 2007 sir robert thompson, defeating communist insurgency. Thompson s accounts offer invaluable personal insights into the development.
According to lieutenant general john coates of the australian army, the malayan insurgency benefited almost as much from british inattention and ineptitude as its own inherent strength. However, he was then engaged by the rand corporation as a consultant, and paid annual visits to vietnam. Defeating communist insurgency by thompson robert sir. Military deployment reading list combined arms center. Paul cornish and andrew dorman, national defence in the age of austerity, international affairs 85. In later life, thompson wrote extensively about the use of commandos and counter insurgency operations in asymmetric warfare. External support to insurgencies small wars journal. Basic principles of counterinsurgency sir robert thompson sir robert thompson 1948 2491 1960 2503 the malayan emergency 2 1945 truman doctrine 1947 1949 uh mcp armed insurrection innnil eon h. In his operational analysis of the malayan emergency, coates discovered that the british mostly relied on. Sir robert thompson s tactics and strategies for countering insurgencies can easily be seen as the cornerstone of modern counter insurgency thought. In thompsons view, special branch was lessons from malaya and vietnam, chicago and london.
The british army and jewish insurgency in palestine, 19451947. In later life, thompson wrote extensively about the use of commandos and counterinsurgency operations in asymmetric warfare. Robert thompson, study of the basic theories of communist insurgency, rhodesia, sadf, malaya, vietnam abstract this book was written approximately 16 years ago and much of it is based on the experiences of the author obtained during the insurgencies in malaya and vietnam. The british states success in bringing to an end the irish republican armys ira armed struggle has enhanced the credibility and renewed interest in the british approach to counterinsurgency, particularly because of british and us involvement in insurgencies. Experiences in malaysia and vietnam certain basic principles of counter insurgency warfare have been well known since the 1950s and 1960s. Robert grainger ker thompson wrote defeating communist insurgency in 1966, arguing that a successful counter insurgency effort must be proactive in seizing the initiative from insurgents. 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. Pdf the concept of kesban in military operations other. Sir robert thompson, strategic patience and nixons war in. Incidents like abu ghraib, escalation of force, wrongful arrest or catchandrelease all directly undermine our political position rule of law is fundamental to government legitimacy. Thompson has aptly said, many americans made studies of the british. See all formats and editions hide other formats and editions.
Theory and practice 1964, sir robert thompson in defeating communist insurgency 1966, and carl schmitt in theory of the partisan20071963. Full text of low intensity operations subversion insurgency. A counter insurgency 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. Defeating communist insurgency the lessons of malaya and. This book was written approximately 16 years ago and much of it is based on the experiences of the author obtained during the insurgencies in malaya and vietnam. Experiences from malaya and vietnam studies in international security hardcover march 2, 1978 by robert thompson author 4. Assessing the british counterinsurgency effort in malaya. Vietnam war, 19611975 malaya history malayan emergency, 19481960. In vietnam, old foes take aim at wars toxic legacy. Small wars manual 1940, government printing office, 1940. Experiences from malaya and vietnam studies in international security thompson, robert on. Defeating communist insurgency by sir robert thompson, 97807011135, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Robert thompson, study of the basic theories of communist insurgency, rhodesia, sadf, malaya, vietnam.
Defeating communist insurgency the lessons of malaya and vietnam studies in international security thompson, robert grainger ker on. Experiences from malaya and vietnam, studies in international security. Full text of low intensity operations subversion insurgency peace keeping nwo illuminati freemasons see other formats. Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hitandrun tactics, and mobility, to fight a larger and lessmobile traditional military. Guerrilla groups are a type of violent nonstate actor. In the words of new zealands mounted riflemen by terry kinloch the face of battle.
Witty, attacking al qaedas operational centers of gravity. These books provide detailed firsthand accounts of thompsons experiences in malaya and vietnam. Defeating communist insurgency by sir robert thompson presents a broader perspective on. Robert thompsons classic work defeating communist insurgency, which combined analysis of the insurgencies in malaya and vietnam with advice for. See robert thompson a british adviser in vietnam, defeating communist insurgency.
Paul cornish and andrew dorman, breaking the mould. Field marshal sir gerald templer 19521954 counterinsurgency. A study of agincourt, waterloo, and the somme by john keegan the generals. The misapplication of the malayan counterinsurgency model to the. Paul cornish and andrew dorman, blairs wars and browns budgets. The book is a study of the basic theories of communist insurgency and of counter insurgency as they operate on the ground and affect the population of a threatened country. These books provide detailed firsthand accounts of thompson s experiences in malaya and vietnam. Certain basic principles of counterinsurgency warfare have been well.
Pdf the concept of kesban in military operations other then. The third category of literature on external support to insurgencies encompasses the published results of specific research on external support. Those which sell the idea of british counterinsurgency as a particularly effective paradigm emphasize population control as part of an overall british model, downplaying templers personality slightly. His breakdown of the different types of persons drawn to join an insurgency alone is worth the cost of purchase and will shed a light for anyone seeking facts over the musings of pundits.
Insurgency, counterinsurgency, and the marines in vietnam. The widely distributed and influential work of sir robert thompson offers several such guidelines. The lessons of malaya and vietnam studies in international security. American military command from world war ii to today by thomas e. The ignored reality failoa, anthony november 2006. Experiences from malaya and vietnam by sir robert thompson echoes of gallipoli.
The book is a study of the basic theories of communist insurgency and of counter. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. South africas total strategy in the context of counterinsurgency coin theory. Experiences in malaya and vietnam study in international security first edition by thompson, sir robert isbn. Robert thompson took part to the counterinsurgency war in malaysia and ended his carrier. Defeating communist insurgency by thompson robert sir abebooks. After one of these, in 1968, he wrote a new book, no exit from vietnam, 18 which criticised the use of heavy firepower as ineffective advocating. A journey into the soul of iraq, spence publishing company, 2004. The classical principles of counterinsurgency are inadequate. According to lieutenant general john coates of the australian army, the malayan insurgency benefited almost as much from british inatten. Defeating communist insurgency march 2, 1978 edition. Sir robert grainger ker thompson kbe cmg dso mc 19161992 was a british military. Of particular interest are three of the six principles he offers as essential for defeating the guerrilla.
Defeating communist insurgency march 2, 1978 edition open. Apr 17, 2014 counterinsurgency scholars have long been familiar with sir robert thompsons classic work defeating communist insurgency, which combined analysis of the insurgencies in malaya and vietnam with advice for counterinsurgents that emphasised the drawnout nature of insurgency and the importance of focusing on population security. Defeating communist insurgency oxford academic journals. Defeating communist insurgency experiences from malaya and vietnam studies in international security by robert thompson. Africas total strategy in the context of coin theory. Northern ireland is seen as one of the few cases where the states armed forces have defeated insurgents. For thompson, the communist guerrilla structure in south vietnam was characterized by its immunity to the direct. Without a reasonably efficient government machine, no. Thompsons accounts offer invaluable personal insights into the development. International affairs, volume 43, issue 1, january 1967, page 183, published. Sir robert thompsons counterinsurgency conceptspdf is an analysis of his defeating communist insurgency. Much of what is propagated in this book have been experienced.
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