Modern Warfare: A French View of Counterinsurgency

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Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006 - History - 94 pages
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This volume in the Praeger Security International (PSI) series Classics of the Counterinsurgency Era reveals how French officers who served in Indochina, like the author, Roger Trinquier, fought fierce rear-guard actions against ideologically motivated insurgents in the 1940s and 1950s to a far greater extent than their American counterparts later faced in Vietnam. The lack of coherent strategic direction from Paris in the chaotic years of the Fourth Republic left the military with the task of making political decisions in the field. With the original introduction by Bernard B. Fall and a new foreword prepared by Eliot A. Cohen.

 

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LibraryThing Review

User Review  - sgtbigg - LibraryThing

Trinquier learned about counterinsurgency in Algeria. He has some interesting ideas, but his ideas seem to take for granted that the enemy will do what he wants. Everything seems a little too neat. Good historical view of early counterinsurgency. Read full review

Selected pages

Contents

PART TWO THE POLITICAL AND MILITARY CONDUCT OF THE WAR
35
PART THREE CARRYING THE WAR TO THE ENEMY
75
Conclusion
89
Index
91
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Modern Warfare: A French View of Counterinsurgency
Roger Trinquier
Limited preview - 2006
Modern Warfare: A French View of Counterinsurgency: A French View of ...
Roger Trinquier
Limited preview - 2006

Common terms and phrases

able action activity adversaries agents Algeria Algiers armed army arrest assistance assure attack attempt authority bands bases battle become beginning carry cause combat command complete conduct considered continue created danger defense destroy destruction difficult district effective elements enemy enemy's entire essential established fact fight final follow forces forces of order France French give guerrilla important individuals Indochina inhabitants intelligence internal interrogation lead leader longer maintain maquis means methods military modern warfare move necessary never normal officers organization particularly peace permit persons police operation political populace population possible prepared present problems protection quickly receive refuge area region regular remain responsible risks role sector situation soldier success sufficient supplies teams terrain territory terrorism terrorist tion town traditional Trinquier troops units usually Vietminh village weapons zone

About the author (2006)

Roger Trinquier (1908-1986) was born into a peasant family and was graduated from the military academy at Saint-Maixent. He was posted in the Far East for much of his career. Following World War II, he campaigned in Vietnam before returning to organize and train a colonial parachute battalion in France. Then he was reassigned to Indochina as an expert on counterguerrilla warfare. This tour was followed by his active role in the revolt of May 1958 by the French army in Algeria, for which he was labeled a political colonel. Afterward Colonel Trinquier led a group of fellow officers-recruited from elite units and officially retired, but with the approval of the Ministry of Defense- to serve as mercenaries in Katanga Province, Zaire, under the secessionist leader Moise Tshombe. He published La Guerre Moderne, which was translated into English, and a number of other books dealing with the Indochina war and the exploits of French airborne forces.

Bibliographic information

QR code for Modern Warfare
TitleModern Warfare: A French View of Counterinsurgency
PSI classics of the counterinsurgency era
AuthorRoger Trinquier
ContributorEliot A. Cohen
Editionillustrated, annotated
PublisherGreenwood Publishing Group, 2006
ISBN0275992683, 9780275992682
Length94 pages
Subjects ›  › 

History / Europe / France
Technology & Engineering / Military Science
  
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