INSURGENCY AND COUNTER
INSURGENCY WARFARE
RUSSIAN - SOVIET UNCONVENTIONAL WARS IN THE CAUCASUS,
CENTRAL ASIA AND AFGHANISTAN
By Dr R F Baumann
This is the first time RUSSIAN-SOVIET UNCONVENTIONAL WARS
IN THE CAUCASUS, CENTRAL ASIA AND AFGHANISTAN has been made
generally available. The Russians have a long history of
fighting what are now called unconventional wars. Certainly
since the 18th Century, and more recently in Afghanistan
and Chechnia. The early wars were fought in the Caucasus.
Fighting in that region started in earnest in the early
19th Century and continued to the late 1840s. Unrest continued
in the region thereafter with major uprisings in the 1870s
and also following the 1917 Revolution. It continues today
in the Chechnia region.
As the Russian Empire expanded Russian forces dominated
the Kazahk region and undertook a series of campaigns in
the area between the Caspian and Aral Sea. This culminated
in the assault on Khiva in 1873 and the operations in 1880-1
on the Persian border, by then the Empire was on the borders
of Persia and Afghanistan. After the Revolution the Red
Army conducted a long campaign in the area north of the
border with Afghanistan against the Basmachis Central Asian
resistance. The Soviet operations started in 1918 and the
last rumblings of resistance was finally quelled in 1933,
though no serious fighting took place after 1924.
The Soviets had considerable experience in the conduct of
and fighting against, insurgency warfare. Prior to World
War II it was either suppressing or encouraging such wars
on its Asian frontiers. In World War II it organised activities
behind the German line in Russia as well as supporting resistance
and partisan movements in eastern and central Europe. After
World War II it had to deal with resistance in the Ukraine
and other areas of the Soviet Union that had been liberated
from German occupation. Since World War II it encouraged,
supplied and trained numerous participants in insurgent
wars from the large scale such as Vietnam to the insignificant.
In 1979, after the Soviet military intervention in Kabul,
the Red Army allowed itself to become involved in an unwinnable
war. This despite the Soviet experience in such fighting
that extended back to the Revolution. Furthermore their
conduct of operations demonstrated their failure of how
such a war should be fought.
210 x 295 mm, iv + 112 pages,129 maps.
ISBN 978-0-85420-008-5 Hardback Edition £32.99
ISBN 978-0-85420-013-9 Softback Edition £19.99
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN
Mujahideen Tactics in the Soviet Afghan War
By Colonel A Jalali and Lt.Colonel L W Grau.
A three volume study of operations and actions of the Afghan
Mujahideen resistance fighting against the Soviet Forces
in Afghanistan 1979-1989. When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan
few realised how long the fighting would go on and that
it would end with the Soviets being forced into a humiliating
retreat. 620,000 Soviets served in Afghanistan during this
period, of which 525,000 were in the Soviet Armed forces,
90,000 were KGB and 5,000 MVD. The Soviets lost nearly 14,000
killed, 469,685 wounded and sick, of those over 10,500 became
permanent invalids. In addition to the human loss vast amounts
of equipment was destroyed including jet aircraft, helicopters
and tanks, as well as trucks and support vehicles. The Afghan
losses were staggering from a population of 16.5 million
over 1.3 million were killed, and a further 5.5 million
- one third of the population - found refuge outside the
country. Very few copies of the original edition of THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN were printed, and none were generally
released.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN contains accounts of numerous
actions fought by the Afghan resistance each account is
told by the Afghan commander who participated in the action
described. These commanders in the vast majority, were civilians
who took up arms against the Soviets and developed the skills
necessary to command guerrilla units. Most of these accounts
are supported by a full page coloured map, that show the
topography, the locations of the attackers and defenders,
movements, fields of fire etc.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN is an invaluable guide to
anyone wishing to understand modern guerrilla warfare, whether
conducting one or fighting against guerrillas in the field.
In addition it provides invaluable insights in how to train
and support guerrillas in the field. Each operation is commented
on to highlight the elements that caused the operation/action
to succeed or fail. In the event of failure what should
have been done to have prevented such failure, or in the
case of success what could have been done to have improved
on that success.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN effectively shows what is
required to conduct a successful guerrilla/insurgent campaign.
The techniques and experiences described apply not only
to Afghanistan but also to many other parts of the world
such as the Balkans, Central and South America, Sri Lanka,
the southern borders of Russia and the Far East. These volumes
are not just a history of a series of operations and actions
but a manual on the conduct of guerrilla operations as well
as what support and assistance such a campaign requires
to succeed.
OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN: Volume 1
34 accounts, with 33 coloured & 4 b/w maps with chapters
on Ambushes, Raids, Shelling Attacks, and Attacks on Strong
Points.
210 x 295 mm, x + 129 pages, 33 Colour and 4 Mono illustrations,Tables
of Symbols & Index.
ISBN 978-0-85420-360-4 Hardback Edition £32.99
ISBN 978-0-85420-365-9 Softback Edition £19.99
OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN: Volume 2
24 accounts. Chapters on Mine Warfare, Attacking Lines of
Communication, Sieges, Fighting Heliborn Insertions, Defending
Against Raids, Defending Cordon and Search .
210 x 295 mm, iv + 119 pages, 25 Colour and 5 Mono maps,
Colour & Mono diagram, Tables of Symbols & Index.
ISBN 978-0-85420-370-3 Hardback Edition £32.99
ISBN 978-0-85420-375-8 Softback Edition £19.99
OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN: Volume 3
36 accounts Defending Base Camps, Counter Ambushes, Encirclement,
Urban Combat. Also included are a number of accounts, with
maps and commentary, from Soviet sources which recount actions
already described from the Mujahideen point of view in these
volumes. The Soviet accounts were written by officers who
had taken part in these actions themselves.
210 x 295 mm, Colour and Mono Maps, Table of Symbols, Index.
ISBN 978-0-85420-306-2 Hardback Edition £32.99
ISBN 978-0-85420-311-6 Softback Edition £19.99
ANTI-PARTISAN WARFARE IN THE BALKANS 1941-1945
A study by two senior German officers, one a Mountain Corps
commander the other an SS Police Colonel, both of whom had
first hand experience of fighting Partisans in Yugoslavia,
Albania and Greece in World War II. Fighting in the Balkans
has always been far from easy, the hatred of the indigenous
population combined with the terrain made the conduct of
successful sustained counter insurgency operations very
difficult. The Germans had to rely on their Allies, the
Italians and Bulgarians, as well as collaborationist units
whose effectiveness and reliability was often in doubt.
This study describes the problems faced by the German occupation
forces, the rise and development of the guerrilla movements,
the early counter-measures by Germany and her Axis allies,
the organisation of the guerrilla units, the impact of the
Italian defection in 1943, and operations in 1943 and 1944.
The appendices include the Yugoslav Army Order of Battle
in early 1941, notes on German General Officers and German
formations mentioned in the narrative, Orders of Battle
of the German Divisions. Notes on the Italian formations
mentioned in the narrative, and a commentary on the Bulgarian
Army.
210 x 295 mm, x + 101 pages, Orders of Battle, 8 Maps.
ISBN 978-0-85420-225-6 Hardback edition £27.99
ISBN 978-0-85420-230-0 Softback edition £15.99
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Insurgency & Counter Insurgency