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Grade 4 out of 5 points. This is a used book. Book may have wear due to handling. Has no markings on pages. May not include extra materials like access codes, CDs, accessories, etc. All orders ship by next business day! We are a small company and very thankful for your business! Grade 4 out of 5 points. This is a used book. Book may have wear due to handling. Has no markings on pages. May not include extra materials like access codes, CDs, accessories, etc. All orders ship by next business day! We are a small company and very thankful for your business! See less

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Christopher A. Lawrence

America's Modern Wars: Understanding Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam

by Christopher Lawrence (Author) Format: Hardcover

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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.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Introduction

Chapter 1: The Iraq Casualty Estimate
Chapter 2: The Art And Science Of Counterinsurgency Warfare Studies
Chapter 3: The Acid Test: Predicting The Present
Chapter 4: Force Ratios Really Do Matter
Chapter 5: Cause Really Is Important
Chapter 6: The Two Together Seem Really Important
Chapter 7: Other Similar Work
Chapter 8: Outside Support And Structure Of Insurgencies
Chapter 9: Rules Of Engagement And Measurements Of Brutality
Chapter 10: Sanctuaries, Border Barriers And Population Resettlement
Chapter 11: Estimating Insurgent Force Size
Chapter 12: The Value Of Elections
Chapter 13: The Influence Of Terrain On Insurgencies
Chapter 14: Other Issues
Chapter 15: The Burden Of War
Chapter 16: A Model Of Insurgencies
Chapter 17: Other Theorists
Chapter 18: The Other Side
Chapter 19: Withdrawal And War Termination
Chapter 20: Relating A Force Ratio Model To Iraq
Chapter 21: Relating A Force Ratio Model To Afghanistan
Chapter 22: Relating A Force Ratio Model To Vietnam
Chapter 23: Conclusions
Chapter 24: Where Do We Go From Here?
Chapter 25: A Tale Of Two Books

Appendix I: Briefing Slides From January 2005
Appendix Ii: The Bosnia Casualty Estimate
Appendix Iii: List Of Cases
Appendix Iv: Force Ratios
Appendix V: Force Ratios As Divided By Political Concept
Appendix Vi: Results Of Testing The Model Back To Data
Appendix Vii: Characteristics Of Selected Modern Coin Barriers
Appendix Viii: List Of All 83 Cases By Indigenous Government Type, The Presence Of Elections, Duration, Winner And Type Of Insurgency
Appendix Ix: Staying The Course (An Analysis Of Duration Of Insurgencies)
Appendix X: Data On 62 Insurgences Used For The Test Of Anthony James Joes Theory

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Print length

376 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Casemate
Publication date

February 19, 2015
Dimensions

6.25 x 1.5 x 9.25 inches
ISBN-10

1612002781
ISBN-13

978-1612002781

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"...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

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Casemate
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 19, 2015
Edition ‏ : ‎ Illustrated
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 376 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1612002781
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1612002781
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.65 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.5 x 9.25 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #2,450,756 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #212 in Afghan War Military History
- #345 in Iraq War History (Books)
- #791 in Vietnam War History (Books)
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(13)

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Christopher A. Lawrence

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. Christopher A. Lawrence is a professional historian and military analyst. He is the Executive Director and President of The Dupuy Institute, an organization dedicated to scholarly research and objective analysis of historical data related to armed conflict and the resolution of armed conflict. The Dupuy Institute provides independent, historically-based analysis of lessons learned from modern military campaigns.

. Mr. Lawrence was the program manager for the Ardennes Campaign Simulation Data Base, the Kursk Data Base, the Modern Insurgency Spread Sheets and for a number of other smaller combat data bases. He participated in studies on casualty estimates (including estimates for Bosnia and Iraq) and studies of air campaign modeling, enemy prisoner of war capture rates, medium weight armor, urban warfare, situational awareness, counterinsurgencies and other subjects for the U.S. Army, Department of Defense, the Joint Staff and the U.S. Air Force. He has also directed a number of studies related to the military impact of banning antipersonnel mines for the Joint Staff, the Los Alamos National Laboratories and the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation.

. His published works, in addition to his books, include papers and monographs for the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment and Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, in addition to over 40 articles written for limited distribution newsletters and over 60 analytical reports prepared for the Department of Defense.

. Mr. Lawrence lives in northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., with his wife and son.

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