2024 Paperback Reprint of Government Publication FM-31-21, Guerrilla Warfare and Special Forces Operations, by the U.S. Department of the Army. The official manual designed to provide guidance in special forces and unconventional warfare operations for commanders and staff at all levels. They can be swift, silent, and deadly. That's why armed guerrillas are feared by even the largest, best-equipped fighting forces. No tank, rocket-propelled grenade, or infantry battalion can match the guerrilla team's ability to exact brutality with precision, instill fear in enemy hearts, and viciously deflate morale. From the snows of Korea to the jungles of Southeast Asia to the mountains of Afghanistan, the U.S. Army has employed guerrilla tactics to deadly effect. Those tactics and techniques, being used today by U.S. soldiers, are laid out in the U.S. Army Guerrilla Warfare Handbook. Topics covered include: Offensive combat operations Interdiction Defensive operations Psychological operations in support of unconventional warfare Demobilization And more! Employing small, heavily-armed, and well-oiled fire teams, guerrilla warfare has played an invaluable role in the success of nearly every U.S. campaign for decades. Here, its methods are detailed: raids and ambushes, demolition, counterintelligence, mining and sniping, psychological warfare, communications, and much more. Here is an inside look at the guerrilla strategies and weapons that have come to be feared by enemies and respected by allies. Not another outside perspective or commentary on unconventional warfare, this is the original-of use to soldiers in the field and to anyone with an interest in military tactics.

The WWII Soviet guerilla training manual that became an essential text for freedom fighters across the globe—complete with illustrations. When Germany invaded the Soviet Union during World War II, the Red Army began recruiting local partisans to help mount a resistance. This edition of The Partisan’s Companion is the last and best Red Army manual used to train these men to fight Nazi invaders. Besides field craft, it covers partisan tactics, German counter-guerrilla tactics, demolitions, German and Soviet weapons, scouting, camouflage, anti-tank warfare, and antiaircraft defense for squad and platoon-level instruction. It contains the Soviet lessons of two bitter years of war and provides a good look at the tactics and training of a mature partisan force. While this handbook was a vital part of Soviet victory over the Nazis, its usefulness outlived the Second World War. It was later used to train guerrilla groups in the developing world during their wars of national liberation in the 1950s–70s. Even the fedayeen guerrillas who fought US and coalition forces in Iraq relied on this manual for training, tactics, and general approach to combat. A selection of the Military Book Club.

The Army's official handbook on how to fight guerrilla insurgencies. The U.S. Army has studied every condition under which it may be called into action, and the possibility of a guerrilla insurgency is no exception. As many have noted, the United States military will likely engage in more small- and medium- scale hostilities against guerrillas than in classic Cold War European Theater scenarios. Available here for the first time is the Army's official document on guerrilla insurgencies-such as the insurgency in Iraq-and how to deal with them. The U.S. Army Counterguerrilla Operations Handbook identifies what constitutes an insurgency, the conditions that foster insurgencies, likely insurgents, and the overall goals of insurgent groups. It then goes on to describe in detail the specifics of how to overcome guerrilla operations in conventional and unconventional conflicts, including: Vulnerable populations Offensive and defensive operations How to counter common guerrilla tactics Reconnaissance, surveillance, and intelligence Tunnel combat and hit-and-run ambushes Smoke, flame, herbicides, and riot control agents Civil disturbances and searches Psychological operations In addition, the handbook describes how strategic and political considerations can outweigh military considerations, and gives guidance on when the military's mission is accomplished.

Total Resistance: The Swiss Army Guide to Guerrilla Warfare and Underground Operations Originally published in 1965, the Panther Publications English translation of Swiss Army Major Hans von Dach's classic Der totale Widerstand brings one of the most influential guerrilla manuals back into print in its original format, right down to the distinctive red covers of the Panther Publications first printing. Universally known as being more complete than the later Paladin Press editions which have been widely reproduced, this edition is the best translation available. Total Resistance is a comprehensive guide to guerrilla warfare, designed to empower civilians to resist occupation by a foreign power through sabotage, assassination, and the organization of underground movements. This translation preserves the detailed tactics and strategies that made the original a vital resource during the Cold War. With chapters covering everything from creating sabotage cells and conducting ambushes to psychological warfare and intelligence gathering, Total Resistance remains a cornerstone in the study of unconventional warfare. Over the decades, von Dach's manual has been both revered and controversial, influencing resistance movements across the globe. Its use by various insurgent groups during the 1960s and 1970s, as well as its relevance in modern conflict zones, underscores the enduring importance of this text. This edition is perfect for historians, military enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the principles of asymmetric warfare. Whether you're studying the Cold War era, exploring military strategy, or looking for insights into modern resistance movements, Total Resistance offers a wealth of knowledge on the power of civilian-based defense. Rediscover this seminal work that continues to shape the doctrine of guerrilla warfare and underground operations around the world.

This manual provides guidance in Special Forces and unconventional warfare operations for commanders and staffs at all levels. The basic concepts of unconventional warfare are presented in a manner designed to acquaint the reader with Special Forces organization, concepts, and methods of operations to fulfill the Army's responsibility for the conduct of unconventional warfare.

This handbook reveals the techniques and tactics that make the U.S. Army Special Forces some of the most elite and highly skilled soldiers in the world. Trained to succeed in specialized operations such as reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, and counter-terrorism, these soldiers undergo a rigorous selection process and operate under the principles of self-sufficiency, stealth, speed, and teamwork. Here readers will discover how guerrilla forces differ from special forces and how unconventional warfare relates to both; how to conduct a raid; how to improvise explosive devices; and how special forces carry out air operations.