Ever watch the 1925 documentary Grass? Its about a migratory heard people who could never be wiped out by the Persians and describes the rural vs city relationship through time
Great Episode, Bill. Classic Buppert and as always I dig the Appalachian connection.
One thing of interest to me lately has been the rise of the Outlier. As well as the deserter, draft resisters and unaffiliated Partisans of the WoNA after the start of the Confederate draft in 1862. Very complicated conflict in Western NC, East Tn, and the western Virginia’s. And being against one side, didn’t always mean you were in favor of the other.
Your law of military topography seems to conflict with your previous claim that infantry is obsolete.
Having spent some time at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in the Sierras (I think my highest elevation there was 11,000 feet or so), I remember feeling bad for the guys fighting in the Spin Ghar (15,000+ feet) in Afghanistan. Mountains are something you can hold with infantry, and they're definitely something you want to be holding rather than taking.
Thomas, you're right when it comes to conventional infantry but the insurgency that takes place in mountain conflicts with light-fighters poses a different problem.
BUT
What will be the impact of UAS/FPV on COIN efforts in mountainous areas? Whether the Kurds, Chechans and Afghans, so far, they have fared well. It will be interesting to see if the new technology has a severe effect on their TTP and capabilities.
I'll certainly be watching the impact of that technology with interest. It's hard to predict, but I think that impact will be fairly minimal. Since the terrain allows a much smaller footprint for defensive purposes, it will be more expensive on a per-person basis to attrit hostile forces, and more difficult to tell hostile formations (often squad or smaller) from civilian movements. Command/control centers may stand out more against low-population-density backgrounds, though.
Mountain warfare is another beast all together because of the angles, increased land mass density (folds in terrain), altitude, lower temperatures and the concomitant need for a physical fitness level most modern armies don't have in great numbers.
Here's a great book about the First Chechen War.
https://www.amazon.com/Chechnya-Calamity-Caucasus-Carlotta-Gall/dp/0814731325
The first few chapters briefly cover the history of the culture of the tribes in the Caucasus Mountains.
Ordered!
https://youtu.be/0fVftguHwFc?si=XZhroZni5oJYI6uw
Ever watch the 1925 documentary Grass? Its about a migratory heard people who could never be wiped out by the Persians and describes the rural vs city relationship through time
GF, just put it on my list and thank you.
Have you seen this 2004 film about anti-poaching operation in the Himalayas?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-36su0N_f78
Will watch it.
Great Episode, Bill. Classic Buppert and as always I dig the Appalachian connection.
One thing of interest to me lately has been the rise of the Outlier. As well as the deserter, draft resisters and unaffiliated Partisans of the WoNA after the start of the Confederate draft in 1862. Very complicated conflict in Western NC, East Tn, and the western Virginia’s. And being against one side, didn’t always mean you were in favor of the other.
Hope all is well
John M.
John, it is so good to hear from you! Give me more info on the Outlier.
Bill, will do. I’ll type up some stuff for you soon!
As a batt boy I can't help mentioning Takur Ghar.
Your law of military topography seems to conflict with your previous claim that infantry is obsolete.
Having spent some time at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in the Sierras (I think my highest elevation there was 11,000 feet or so), I remember feeling bad for the guys fighting in the Spin Ghar (15,000+ feet) in Afghanistan. Mountains are something you can hold with infantry, and they're definitely something you want to be holding rather than taking.
Thomas, you're right when it comes to conventional infantry but the insurgency that takes place in mountain conflicts with light-fighters poses a different problem.
BUT
What will be the impact of UAS/FPV on COIN efforts in mountainous areas? Whether the Kurds, Chechans and Afghans, so far, they have fared well. It will be interesting to see if the new technology has a severe effect on their TTP and capabilities.
I'll certainly be watching the impact of that technology with interest. It's hard to predict, but I think that impact will be fairly minimal. Since the terrain allows a much smaller footprint for defensive purposes, it will be more expensive on a per-person basis to attrit hostile forces, and more difficult to tell hostile formations (often squad or smaller) from civilian movements. Command/control centers may stand out more against low-population-density backgrounds, though.
Mountain warfare is another beast all together because of the angles, increased land mass density (folds in terrain), altitude, lower temperatures and the concomitant need for a physical fitness level most modern armies don't have in great numbers.
Precisely why the Army thought it was a great idea to move the 10th Mountain from the peaks of Colorado to Ft Drum at sea level.
The physical fitness element tends to take care of itself fairly quickly :)
He and Grau are some of the smartest men advising the US armed forces today.