African Guerrilla Wars - Research Paper Example

 AFRICAN GUERRILLA WARS GUERRILLA IN AFRICA INTRODUCTION: Guerrilla is the name for a tactic of war. One of such tactics was used in Africa. It was an armed struggle, fought in the region of Africa, named Ethiopia. It continued from the summer 1941 to autumn 1943. It was fought by the remnants of Italian troops in Italian East Africa. It was fought after they were defeated during the East African Campaign of the World War II. [1] According to Wikipedia, the online Encyclopedia: The Guerrilla warfare is the unconventional warfare and combat with which a small group of combatants use mobile tactics (ambushes, raids, etc.) to combat a larger and less mobile formal army. Ambush means drawing enemy forces to the terrains, not suitable for them. This guerilla tactic was used on a vast level against the Napoleon’s armies during the Peninsular War. The word Guerrilla means ‘small war’. The tactics used in this technique of war include the small scale raids, ambushes and attacks. During the ancient times, this kind of strategy was used by the smaller tribes, when fighting against a large empire. One of such examples is struggle of Rome against the Spanish tribes, for over a period of one century. During the present times, this technique is associated with the operations of insurgent, revolutionary and terrorist groups. Guerrillas can be: 1. A small and scattered band of raiders, 2. Working side by side with the regular forces, 3. Combined for far ranging mobile operations, 4. In the form of conventional units. African Guerrilla Wars 3 Successful guerrilla warfare is always flexible, not static; meaning to say that, it can shift between any of the above mentioned forms, not remaining fixed to a single tactic of war. STRATEGIC MODELS OF GUERRILLA WARFARE: The ‘classic’ three-phased Maoist model: According to this theory, warfare is classified into three phases: PHASE I: This has a political touch. In this phase, the guerrillas spread propaganda against government/enemy, and gain the population’s support. PHASE II: The government’s military forces and important institutions are brought under the attacks by the guerrillas. PHASE III: Conventional warfare and fighting begins. The purpose is to seize the cities, terminate the existing government and take the control of country. It was proposed in this theory that depending upon the circumstances, there may be shifting between these phases, in either direction. Moreover, these phases may not take place uniformly all over the country. The more fragmented contemporary pattern: In a classic three-phased Maoist model, there is the description of a strong unified guerrilla group, having a clear objective and view point. While in some of the contemporary fragmented guerrilla warfare, this pattern may not be followed at all. These may include African Guerrilla Wars 4 numerous, small, independent, ‘freelance’ groups, working with a little overarching structure. So, these examples are quite contrary from the above neat and phase driven categories. There are many factors that have complicated this contemporary pattern of guerrilla warfare. These include the factors like: 1. Increasing urbanization, 2. Easily accessible media and 3. Easy access to other sources of information. It is now necessary now that the guerrillas include only the rural fighter, helped by the cross-border sanctuaries, as in Vietnam; but they now include the vast networks of people bound by the religion and ethnicity, stretched anywhere across the globe. Tactics of guerrilla warfare: Guerrilla warfare is quite different from the small unit warfare tactics, like those used in the screening or in recon operations, which are typical of the conventional forces. It should also be kept at a different place from the activities of the robbers, pirates or bandits. This is because, such groups may use tactics similar to guerrilla warfare, but the primary purpose of their efforts is not political, instead it is purely directed towards the material gain. While describing the guerrilla tactics, we can say that they are based on following points: 1. Intelligence, 2. Ambush, 3. Deception, 4. Sabotage and 5. Espionage. African Guerrilla Wars 5 The guerrilla tactics can be very successful against any unpopular foreign or local regime, as is seen in the Vietnam conflict. In case of any foreign regime, these tactics can be successful by increasing the cost of maintaining an occupation or a colonial presence, above the affordability of foreign power. While in case of local regime, they can be successful by means of terror strikes, sabotage and a combination of forces to depose their local enemies in conventional battle. These tactics can be helpful by simultaneously dropping the morale of enemy and raising the morale of guerrillas. Many a times these tactics have proven to be so successful, that even a very small force can hold off a very large and much better equipped enemy for a long time. The examples of this are the Russia’s Second Chechen War and the Second Seminole War, which was fought in the swamps of Florida, United States of America. Using the Mao’s “On Guerrilla Warfare”, the tactics used in guerrilla warfare are discussed below: Guerrilla tactics typically involve the attacks on: 1. Transportation groups, 2. Individual groups of police and military, 3. Installations and structures, 4. Economic enterprises and 5. Targeted civilians. Guerrilla warfare can keep the enemy under constant pressure, by attacking in small groups, using camouflage and the weapons, captured from the enemy, while still allowing escape with a relatively fewer number of casualties. The main objective is political, by demoralizing the African Guerrilla Wars 6 target populations, or government. A few examples include, the chopping off of limbs in internal African rebellions, or the suicide bombings in Israel and Sri Lanka. Whatever tactics are used, the guerrilla primarily lives to fight for another day, and to widen his political support and force, and not to take hold of a specific region or territory only. SURPRISE AND INTELLIGENCE: Successful guerrilla warfare cannot be achieved by using the intelligence and surprise. Before any attack on the enemy, a detailed study of the target’s disposition, weaponry and morale is done. There are many ways of using intelligence in the guerrilla warfare. A steady flow of useful information is gathered from the sympathizers and the collaborators, Employment or admission as a student may be carried out near to the targeted area, Infiltration of the community organizations may be carried out and Even the romantic relationships may be used as a part of the guerilla intelligence tactic. Intelligence also means having a good information of the public sources, from the flight schedules of the targeted airlines, to public announcements of the visiting foreign delegations, or information about the Army Field Manuals. Now the internet has made the collection of such data much easier than before. For a particular target, the on spot reconnaissance is vital for the operational planning. This involves the information like the routes of entry and exit, the structure of the building, location of the phone and other communication lines, presence of the security personnel and lot of other factors as well. Regarding surprise, it is explained in terms that if an operation has been betrayed or compromised, it is usually called off immediately. African Guerrilla Wars 7 Relationship with the civil population: The relationship with the civil population depends upon the fact that whether the guerrillas are operating among a hostile or a friendly population. A friendly population can be very helpful for the success of guerrilla warfare, by providing shelter, finances, supplies, intelligence and recruits. However, guerrillas can be very successful even in the absence of this popular mass support in a country or region. They can make use of a friendly regime, drawing the supplies, weapons, intelligence, local security and diplomatic cover. Use of terror: Terror is used in the form of killing the opposition leaders, extorting money from the targets, intimidating the general population, creating economic losses and keeping the followers and potential defectors in line. Withdrawal: It requires a careful planning. Once decided, the withdrawal is usually accomplished by using a variety of different methods and routes, including the evidence cleanup, quick scouring the area for loose weapons and disguising as peaceful civilians. Other guerrilla tactics include: Foreign support and sanctuaries, Guerrilla initiative and combat intensity and Terrain. [2] Italian guerrilla war in Africa: It was an armed struggle from summer 1941 to autumn 1943. It was fought by the remnants of Italian troops in Italian East Africa, after facing a defeat during the East African Campaign of the World War II. African Guerrilla Wars 8 It was after the surrender by General Guglielmo Nasi, in November 1941, that the last troops of the Italian colonial army decided to start a guerrilla war in the deserts and mountains of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia. About 7000 Italian soldiers took part in this war against the British army. They had a hope that German-Italian army would gain a victory in Egypt, thus re-occupying the recently taken territories. There were two main Italian guerrilla organizations at that time: 1. Fronte di Resistenza (Front of Resistance) and 2. Figli d’Italia (Sons of Italy). 1. Fronte di Resistenza: This military organization was led by Colonel Lucchetti. It was mainly centered in the main cities of the former Italian East Africa. The objectives of this organization were: Military sabotage and Collecting information about the British troops. 2. Figli d’Italia: It was founded by the Blackshirts of the “Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (an organization of voluntary soldiers) in September 1941. They carried out the guerrilla war with the British troops. [1] There were many other guerrilla wars, which took place in Africa in different time periods. Given below is the list of popular guerrilla movements in Africa: Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) - South Africa (armed wing of ANC) Mau Mau - Kenya National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA - Angola Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola MPLA - Angola African Guerrilla Wars 9 National Union for the Total Independence of Angola UNITA- Angola Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF - Eritrea Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy or LURD - Liberia Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro or Polisario - Western Sahara Zimbabwe African People's Union - Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. Mozambican Liberation Front or FRELIMO Mozambican National Resistance or RENAMO - Mozambique South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) - Namibia Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) - Uganda Uganda People's Democratic Army - Uganda poqo - South Africa armed wing of the Pan Africanist Congress Afrikaner Resistance Movement - South Africa Islamic Front for the Liberation of Oromia Oromo Liberation Front Sudan People’s Liberation Army Sudan Liberation Movement Justice and Equality Movement Janjaweed Niger Movement for Justice.[3] Thus, we can conclude by above discussion that a guerrilla war is not the name of just a typical fight in the battle field between two enemies; instead it is a war of brains, as well. It requires clear cut planning beforehand, in order to win the war. The main purpose of guerrilla wars is political, targeting a specific government or authority. It includes the slow brain washing of local public, against the authorities, in order to attain their support and make them against the government/authorities, thereby carving one’s way to success. African Guerrilla Wars 10 Guerrilla wars can use different tactics, which help even a smaller number of army to overcome a larger and more powerful army. Discussed above is the war of Ethiopia in Africa, which is an example of the guerrilla war, fought by the remnants of Italian army, in the Second World War. In the present times, one of the examples of such wars is like the one, occurring in Vietnam. In a nutshell, knowing about the guerrilla war tells us, that it is not always necessary to have a big and powerful army to win a war, instead the mind games, like those played in guerrilla wars, can change the war results altogether. African Guerrilla Wars 11 BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Italian Guerrilla war in Ethiopia. Wikipedia, the online Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 6th, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_guerrilla_war_in_Ethiopia 2. Guerrilla warfare. Wikipedia, the online Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 6th, 2008, from the World Wide Web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrilla_warfare 3. List of guerrilla movements. Wikipedia, the online Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 6th, 2008, from the World Wide Web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_guerrilla_movements#Africa Read More