America's Modern Wars

Understanding Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam

by Christopher A Lawrence

Imprint: Casemate

376 Pages, 6 x 9 in, 16pp photos

Hardcover
9781612002781
February 2015
Out of print. Available in digital formats at the links below.

$32.95

Digital download
9781612002798
February 2015

$4.99

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Description
Contents
Authors
Praise

While the past half-century has seen no diminution in the valor and fighting skill of the U.S. military and its allies, the fact remains that our wars have become more protracted, with decisive results more elusive. With only two exceptions—Panama and the Gulf War under the first President Bush—our campaigns have taken on the character of endless slogs without positive results. This fascinating book takes a ground-up look at the problem in order to assess how our strategic objectives have recently become divorced from our true capability, or imperatives.

The book presents a unique examination of the nature of insurgencies and the three major guerrilla wars the United States has fought in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam. It is both a theoretical work and one that applies the hard experience of the last five decades to address the issues of today. As such, it also provides a timely and meaningful discussion of America’s current geopolitical position.

It starts with the previously close-held casualty estimate for Iraq that The Dupuy Institute compiled in 2004 for the U.S. Department of Defense. Going from the practical to the theoretical, it then discusses a construct for understanding insurgencies and the contexts in which they can be fought. It applies these principles to Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam, assessing where the projection of U.S. power can enhance our position and where it merely weakens it.

It presents an extensive analysis of insurgencies based upon a unique database of 83 post-WWII cases. The book explores what is important to combat and what is not important to resist in insurgencies. As such, it builds a body of knowledge based upon a half-century’s worth of real-world data, with analysis, not opinion. In these pages, Christopher A. Lawrence, the President of The Dupuy Institute, provides an invaluable guide to how the U.S. can best project its vital power, while avoiding the missteps of the recent past.

"...presents a unique examination of the nature of insurgencies and the three major guerrilla wars the United States has fought in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam. It is both a theoretical work and one that applies the hard experience of the last 5 decades to address the issues of today. As such, it also provides timely and meaningful discussion of America's current geopolitical position." ~Scale Military Modeller International

"Armed with data and analysis, not opinions, Lawrence provides a guide to how the United States can best project its vital and valuable power without repeating some of the missteps of the recent past." ~Toy Solder & Model Figure

"After World War II and the Vietnam War, the American government and military twice buried counterinsurgency policy, focusing instead on conventional war. After the draw down of forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the concurrent attempt to pivot toward Asia, the lessons learned from the two earlier wars seem to have been forgotten or never learned to begin with. Yet counterinsurgency remains among the most common of large-scale US military operations since 1945. Thus, America's Modern Wars by historian Christopher Lawrence, executive director of The Dupuy Institute (TDI), comes at a propitious time.” ~Michigan War Studies Review

":...a well researched and well analyzed study of the nature of insurgencies and guerilla warfare... provides a unique quantitative historical analysis... shows that reliable outcome estimates are determined through quantitative reasoning. Being able to anticipate the outcome of any military operation through reliable means can greatly assist in strategic and operational level leaders' decision making process. These results are what the book brings to light for military leaders and their staffs. Staff members who develop course of action recommendations can use the techniques described by Lawrence to provide quality analysis. Commanders will have the confidence from their staff estimates to choose the best course of action for future military operations. Logically estimating the outcomes of future military operations, as the author writes, is what US citizens should expect and demand from their leaders who take this country to war." ~Military Review