Guerilla Warfare Essay -- essays research papers

Guerrilla WarfareThe term guerrilla (Spanish, little contend) originated in the early 19th century during the Peninsular war when, later on the defeat of Spains regular forces, Spanish irregulars and civilians rose up against the lash occupying forces. The practice of guerrilla warfare, however, dates from antiquity for example, the Bible tells of the Israelite conquest of Canaan, led by Joshua, involving harassment and ambush of the enemy. Later Jewish resistance to foreign convention was expressed in the series of fierce guerrilla operations against the Romans in the 1st century AD led by the Zealot sect, this drive was climaxed by the seizure of Masada and the massacre of the Roman garrison there in AD66.Lacking the numerical strength and weapons to oppose a regular regular army in the field, guerrillas avoid pitched battles. Instead, they operate from bases established in contrasted and inaccessible terrain, such as forests, mountains, and jungles, and depend on the suppo rt of the topical anaesthetic inhabitants for recruits, food, shelter, and information. The guerrillas may also receive assistance in forms of arms, medical supplies, and army advisers from their own or allied regular armies.The tactics of guerillas are those of harassment. strike swiftly and unexpectedly, they raid enemy supply depots and installations, ambush patrols and supply convoys, and cut communication lines, hoping thereby to disrupt enemy activities and to capture equipment and supplies for their own use. Because ...