Guerrilla groups are a type of violent nonstate actor. Chinese general and strategist sun tzu, in his classic book, the art of war. Guerrilla warfare, as practiced by the spanish against napoleons occupation force, illustrates the difference between guerrilla warfare and revolutionary warfare. Difference between terrorism and insurgency compare the. Insurgency movements and guerilla forces can adhere to international norms regarding the law of war in achieving their goals, but terrorists are by definition conducting. The revolutionary war manifests itself in the form of urban guerrilla warfare, psychological warfare, or rural guerrilla warfare.
Differences between conventional and guerilla warfare. Are illegitimate acts against an enemy in war terrorism, war crimes, or is there even a. This extended version would thus differentiate between guerrilla warfare and terrorism. Freedman proposes a workable definition for strategy in his book with the same name. However, if we examine insurgency and guerilla warfare, specific differences emerge. In the guerrilla struggle, military personnel and facilities are targeted in line with political goals, but in case of terrorist actions. The use of the diminutive evokes the differences in number, scale, and scope between the. What is the difference between a terrorist and an insurgent. Urban guerilla warfare is a solid study on a prescient topic. The definition, tactics, and origins of guerrilla warfare, as well as several. Thucydides gave us a description of urban guerrilla warfare, involving theban troops who were.
How to define terrorism sinai perspectives on terrorism. Terrorism is not warfare, it is violence against civilians in the pursuit of political aims. Distinguishing terrorism from guerrilla warfare the ornery. Most importantly, terrorists rarely attack defended military targets.
Ultimately, the difference between insurgency and terrorism comes down to the intent of the actor. Although traditional guerrilla warfare has been primarily a rural endeavor, as populations have gravitated to the cities on every continent the. Any prediction fifteen years ago that terrorists could hijack passenger planes and use them as bombs to kill about 3,000 innocent people in new york, use deadly gas to poison over 5,000 people in a tokyo subway. Turning back to mao zedong, one may see a major difference between what may be referred to as guerrillaism, and textbook terrorism or guerrilla warfare. Mar 10, 2004 turning back to mao zedong, one may see a major difference between what may be referred to as guerrillaism, and textbook terrorism or guerrilla warfare. The first, reported by the washington post in early 2005, illustrates the patterns of guerrilla attack in iraq. The real issue that the last few administrations have forgotten is why terrorism works and how to avoid these pit falls.
Terrorism and guerrilla warfare a comparative essay 53 the guerrilla, who respects international laws in this respect, does not directly threaten the population. The strategy and tactics of guerrilla warfare tend to focus around the use of a small, mobile force competing against a larger, more unwieldy one. Guerrilla warfare is a sustained fight using unconventional tactics a lot of hit and run style stuff, with abductions. Drawing a distinction between guerrilla warfare and terrorism, the author focuses on guerrilla activity. Difference between terrorism and guerrilla warfare. The government responds by sending in troops and destroying an urban area where the religious militants are based, killing more. Terrorists though distinguishing between guerrillas, insurgents, and terrorists may seem like a purely academic exercise, deeper analysis may reveal some extremely pragmatic understandings to help in combating each.
With an emphasis on causes and effects, part i surveys all major guerrilla struggles and many less well known wars from the american revolution to 20th century postcolonial conflicts. The cold war period was the mediaheightened impact of urban guerrilla warfare, and such its potential danger to civilized society, that some observers believed urban terrorism should be classified as a new genre of warfare. Conventional warfare is fought in a manner where both sides know who the enemy is. This is not entirely surprising, since guerrillas often employ the same tactics assassination, kidnapping, bombings of public gatheringplaces, hostagetaking, etc.
Terrorists, because of their small number, because of the fact that theyre mostly hiding from the authorities, that theyre weak, they dont control territory, they dont exercise any sovereignty, cant do any of the things, for instance, that insurgents can do. Both mao tsetung and che guevara had outsized impacts on the social, political and cultural landscape of the 20 th century. Distinguishing terrorism from guerrilla warfare the. Terrorism vs guerrilla warfare archive straight dope. The isbn of minimanual of the urban guerrilla is 1894925025.
For the last decade, world terrorism passed through a significant transformation. Doctrinally, we dod define terrorism as the calculated use of violence or threat of. Its often done from the position of an underdog a proper military forc. Lawrences seven pillars of wisdom 1936 and maos on the protracted war 1954. The line between combatants and noncombatants is unclear, objectives unclear, and the timeline for victory unknown. They also made significant contributions to the field of irregular warfare. Introduction to asymmetric warfare 1 regular vs irregular wars comparison of interstate war with insurgent wars regular wars irregular wars aka. Guerrilla warfare is not always successful and can, in fact, have negative results. While state terrorism is an integral part of the war in iraq, we are concerned in this essay with oppositional terrorism. Guerrilla warfare, occurring between lightly armed partisans and a conventional army, is an example of asymmetrical warfare. An urban guerrilla is someone who fights a government using unconventional warfare or domestic terrorism in an urban environment.
The guerrilla focuses on organising in small units, dependent on the support of the local population. Terrorist tactics, such as hijackings and suicide bombings, are also considered to be asymmetrical, both because they tend to involve a smaller, weaker group attacking a stronger one and also because attacks on civilians are by definition oneway warfare. Revolutionary terrorism is peaceful compared with other forms. Ohio, justice potter stewart offered this description of pornography.
It examines the tactics and techniques used in combat operations by various guerrilla forces in urban environments. There is another related term called insurgency that is troubling many nations of the world. Guerrilla warfare or asymmetric warfare is a tactic as old as time. Strategy and tactics of guerrilla warfare tend to focus around the use of a small, mobile force competing against a large, unwieldy one. During the height of the cold war from 1960 to 1980, urban guerrilla movements fought to overthrow or at least weaken the oppressive military regimes ruling several latin american countries. This sets it apart from both guerilla warfare and terrorism, as they are both methods available to pursue the goals of the political movement. Whats the difference between the guerrilla warfare. What is the relationship between religion and terrorism. The unit was tasked with hunting down and executing british intelligence operatives in the city. Guerrilla warfare tactics in urban environments a thesis. Historically guerrilla warfare was a rural phenomenon, it was not until the 1960s that the limitations of this form were clearly demonstrated. Terrorism is often confused or equated with, or treated as synonymous with, guerrilla warfare. All bona fide liberation movements are invariably described as terrorists 2.
In essence, guerrilla warfare is not symbolic but rather devoted to a certain aim by contrast to terrorism where violence is a tool and symbol. Terrorism is used to focus international attention on the guerrilla cause, kill opposition leaders, extort money from targets, intimidate the general population, create economic losses, and keep followers and potential defectors in. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Brito and intriligator 1989 developed an economic model of guerrilla warfare which combined two classic models from economics, the solow growth model and the ricardian model of economic rents, with two classic studies of guerrilla warfare, t.
In this paper, i will try to analyze the key elements of terrorism and guerrilla warfare. The danger comes from the other side that is led to attack. I will not give a historical overview, but my aim will be to reach a theoretical description that includes the crucial features of the two treated forms of violence. Guerrilla warfare should not be confused with gorilla warfare disambiguation 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 less. Oneill recounts how terrorism accompanied guerrilla tactics to reach revolutionary ends in chinas. Aug 22, 2014 what is the difference between guerrilla and traditional. Rural terrorism is associated with guerrilla warfare and nationalistic rebellions like the chinese communist revolution, cuban revolution, and nicaraguan revolution. The art of urban sniping and its role in modern guerrilla warfare. Terrorism, insurrection, and guerrilla warfare by justin king september 1, 2016 washington, dc tfc due to the continued plunge into the war on terror and the different conflicts the west has started, become involved with, or prolonged. The differences between the guerrilla warfare and terrorism.
The use of guerrilla warfare was first suggested in the 6th century bc by chinese general and strategist sun tzu, in his classic book, the art of war. The type of warfare a guerrilla engages in depends on the. Guerrilla warfare lets turn to the last reason why its so difficult to define terrorism. The author failed to address the fundamentals of modern urban guerrilla warfare, the reader gets a superficial understanding of the subject at best in a book that is only 165 pages long and only has 21 pages that actually address the title, and some of the most important, relevant urban guerrilla wars are not even mentioned like the war in. It is very difficult to define both guerrilla warfare and terrorism. On the one hand, a possible connection between them has to be investigated, and, on the. Urban guerrilla warfare by anthony james joes provides a number of examples for urban guerrilla action and describes them briefly within their context but does not go into much detail concerning urban tactics or emerging developments. The term terrorism is used interchangeably with other terms, like guerrilla warfare and. What is the difference between terrorism and guerrilla warfare. Terrorism is as different from guerrilla warfare as it is from any other form of warfare. Terrorism while they both employ many of the same tactics and weapons, there are important differences between guerrilla fighters and terrorists. Thus urban guerrilla warfare becomes difficult to distinguish from simple terrorism. Strategy and tactics of guerrilla warfare uhuru times. Yet they all have profound similarities, which accounts for this common usage.
Sep 24, 2012 terrorism vs insurgency terrorism has become a bane of the modern world and all of us are aware of the dreadful consequences of terrorism. The aims of terrorism and guerrilla warfare may well be identical. Ncjrs abstract national criminal justice reference service. Guerrilla warfare is the unconventional warfare and combat with which small group combatants use mobile tactics ambushes, raids, etc. The guerrilla fighters targets are military ones, while the terrorist deliberately targets civilians. The main strategy and tactics of guerrilla warfare tend to involve the use of a small attacking, mobile force against a large, unwieldy force. He recognised that despite important differences between nazi germany and. In some cases, the use of terrorism can be an aspect of guerrilla warfare. A key difference is that an insurgency is a movement a political effort with a specific aim. The guerrilla army uses ambush draw enemy forces to terrain unsuited to them and mobility advantage and surprise in attacking vulnerable targets in enemy territory. The first is that all types of irregular warfare, including terrorism and insurgency, are. 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.
Mao recognizes the difference between rural and urban societies to create strategies that create advantages for the lower class. Guerrilla warfare is unconventional and asymmetrical. Guerrilla warfare is entirely opposed to terrorism, but. In other words, lightly armed small forces mostly utilise asymmetrical warfare techniques against belligerent states conventional army. Lic, peoples war, revolutionary warfare, guerrilla warfare, hybrid warfare, among others. Revolutionary and counter revolutionary terrorism 871 words. Terrorism and insurgency are still viewed at best as a nuisance by many military professionals, or a form of dirty war at worst. On guerrilla warfare by mao zedong goodreads share book.
Williamss first book 1986 observes that cotton and cattle production for export. What is the isbn of minimanual of the urban guerrilla. The media does a poor job of differentiating between terrorism and guerrilla warfare. Guerrillaism combines the essence of guerrilla warfare and terrorism because it involves both quick grassroots violent attacks and a broader and coercive political and military agenda. There is much similarity between terrorism and insurgency for people to equate the two concepts. This article attempts to highlight the differences between terrorism and insurgency. Irregular warfare now and in the future conclusion readers guide western democracies have had difficulty responding to the new reality of global violent extremist terrorism. Published in 1961 following the cuban revolution, it became a reference for thousands of guerrilla fighters in various countries around the world. The proposed definition divides terrorism and guerrilla warfare into four subgroups. 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, hit and run tactics, and mobility, to fight a larger and lessmobile traditional military. Defining terrorism is one mans terrorist another mans. Throughout history, there have been three different models of terrorism rural, urban, and insurrection.
Two themes run through the long history of irregular warfare. Those who engage in guerilla warfare tend to engage in more terrorist like ways and they will attack civilians who support the other side. Do you know the difference between terrorism and guerrilla. The revolutionary war manifests itself in the form of urban guerrilla. Guerrilla warfare project gutenberg selfpublishing.
On guerrilla warfare is a pamphlet written for i cant believe i am actually reading this and enjoying it. Dec 21, 2010 the difference between counter terrorism and counterinsurgency is simple. I cant believe a simple minded basic girl like me who studied computers in uni and can be found reading trashy na will end up reading on guerrilla warfare by chairman mao. Guerrilla warfare can also be called competition between opponents of unequal strength. The topic of this thesis is guerrilla warfare tactics in urban environments. Maos writing on guerilla warfare has become a guide on waging revolution in underdeveloped areas around the world. These small, mobilised and revolutionary forces can only withstand the stronger and larger forces through guerrilla warfare. In fact, t compare the difference between similar terms.
His historical case studies provide the reader with examples of urban conflict and lessons learned. Guerrilla warfare is a military handbook written by marxist revolutionary che guevara. In 217 bc, roman dictator quintus fabius maximus, often called the father of guerrilla warfare, used his fabian strategy to defeat the mighty invading army of carthaginian general hannibal barca. Adefinition of the urban guerrilla the chronic structural crisis characteristic of brazil today, and its resultant political instability, are what have brought about the upsurge of revolutionary war in the country. Minimanual of the urban guerrilla adefinition of the urban guerrilla the chronic structural crisis characteristic of brazil today, and its resultant political instability, are what have brought about the upsurge of revolutionary war in the country. What is the difference between guerrilla and traditional. To illustrate the contrast between guerrilla war and oppositional terrorism, consider these two examples. Finally, i will look at how literature in the field can be applied to further our understanding of counterinsurgency efforts. Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as. What is essential to all forms of combat is the necessity for the guerrilla to replenish arms and ammunition through. As some have mentioned, terrorism is a label for a type of warfare that is intrinsically objectionable to the opposition, where the opposition generally has conventional military forces. The guerrilla force is largely or entirely organized in small units that are dependent on the support of the local population. To remedy these problem areas, a new definition of terrorism is hereby proposed. What is the difference between counterinsurgency and counter.
1054 108 717 1411 214 1267 1404 65 359 1217 790 445 976 52 1147 265 940 693 1093 111 1062 233 421 875 381 1017 1273 1168 395 777 1042 1436 403 1185 1180 393 906 898 693 703 201 972 836 198 160 1476