Lessons Learned and Unlearned: The Drivers of US Indirect-Fire Innovation

MAJ Brennan S. Deveraux

Art of War Scholars Series

191 Pages

Published: 2024

Lessons Learned and Unlearned analyzes nearly a century of US artillery innovation and adaptation, focusing on the pressures of incorporating new technology, applying combat experience, and assessing external threats. Indirect fire’s role on the battlefield has been repeatedly reshaped by new technologies on the one hand and organizational and doctrinal changes on the other. This research examines successful and unsuccessful historical indirect-fire adaptations since the birth of indirect fire—identifying innovation themes, insights into future issues, and recommendations for more effective indirect fire.

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Between the Rivers: Combat Action in Iraq 2003-2005

By John J. McGrath

142 Pages

Published: 2012

Making history useful to the reader – this is one of the missions of the Combat Studies Institute. We strive to produce works that recount historical events to inform decision makers and to enable experiential learning. This collection of events put together by John McGrath, which occurred in Iraq during the 2003-2005 timeframe, addresses that mission.

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Certain Victory

By General Robert H. Scales

460 Pages

Published: 1993

During World War II, General George C. Marshall, Army Chief of Staff, introduced a series of short books by writing:

American Forces In Action is a series prepared by the War Department especially for the information of wounded men. It will show these soldiers, who have served their country so well, the part they and their comrades played in achievements which do honor to the record of the United States Army.

In the same spirit, General Scales and his team wrote Certain Victory to provide both the public and the military a clear picture of the Army's role in the Gulf War. The breadth and speed of Desert Storm operations left many participants unaware of the larger context in which they acted. This book is for them. To capture their story, General Scales essentially interweaves three distinct themes, each of which stands apart.

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Eyewitness to War, The U.S. Army in Operation Al Fajr:

An Oral History Vol 1

Kendall D. Gott (ed.)

327 Pages

Published: 2006

Eyewitness to War The US Army in Operation AL FAJR: An Oral History is a unique publication for the Combat Studies Institute. It is our fi rst publication to make exclusive use of oral history. This study is a derivative of the CSI Operational Leadership Experiences (OLE) project, a program that collects and archives first-person experiences from the Global War on Terror. It can also be considered a companion to the recently published CSI Occasional Paper #20: Operation AL FAJR: A Study in Army and Marine Corps Joint Operations. Interviews collected for the OLE project formed the basis for that occasional paper and were so compelling, we felt a need to publish those interviews in a book series.

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Eyewitness to War, The U.S. Army in Operation Al Fajr:

An Oral History Vol 2

Kendall D. Gott (ed.)

330 Pages

Published: 2006

The Combat Studies Institute (CSI) was established at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1979 with the mission to conduct original, interpretive research on historical topics pertinent to current doctrinal and operational concerns of the US Army. CSI’s further mission is to publish these results in a variety of useful formats and to conduct battlefi eld staff rides for the US Army. Today, CSI also assists the US Army’s Combined Arms Center in the development and implementation of an integrated progressive program of military history instruction. CSI’s mission further includes writing contemporary Army history, overseeing the Frontier Army Museum, and serving as the Command History Offi ce for the Combined Arms Center.

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Iroquois Warriors in Iraq

By Steve Clay

290 Pages

Published: 2007

The role of the Organized Reserves in the history of the US Army has taken many twists and turns since the nation’s founding. The organization and missions of the Army’s reserves, both the National Guard and the Army Reserve, are once again undergoing fundamental change to meet the needs of the 21st century. In Iroquois Warriors in Iraq, Mr. Steve Clay analyzes the role played by the “Iroquois Warriors” of the US Army Reserve’s 98th Division (Institutional Training).

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Lucky War:

Third Army in Desert Storm

By Richard M. Swain

405 Pages

Published: 1994

There is a crossroads near Safwan in southeastern Iraq. Nearby, there is a small hill and an airstrip. After the Gulf War, Safwan became a gathering point for refugees fleeing the Iraqi Army as it reestablished control of Basrah. Prior to that, the airstrip was the site of the dictation of armistice terms to that army by the victorious coalition's military high command.

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On Point:

The United States Army in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM

By Colonel Gregory Fontenot, Lieutenant Colonel E.J. Degen, Lieutenant Colonel David Tohn

598 Pages

Published: 2004

During a 38-year career as a soldier that included duty as an artillery forward observer in Vietnam and ended as commander of US Central Command during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF), I came to appreciate the value of the lessons learned concept to both commissioned officers and NCOs. Studying the successes and failures of recent campaigns is essential to leaders’ professional development as they strive toward greater technical and tactical proficiency.

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On Point II:

Transition to the New Campaign

By Dr. Donald P. Wright, Colonel Timothy R. Reese

720 Pages

Published: 2008

This is the story of the American Army and its Soldiers during a critical period of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM—the 18 months following the topping of the Saddam Hussein regime in April 2003. On Point II: Transition to the New Campaign provides a contemporary historical account of the United States Army in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM from May 2003 through the Iraqi elections of January 2005. As its title indicates, the book depicts the transition of the Army from conventional combat to full spectrum operations in support of building a new, free Iraq.

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Operation AL FAJR:

A Study in Army and Marine Corps Joint Operations - Occasional Paper 20

By Matt M. Matthews

94 Pages

Published: 2006

The two battles for the Iraqi city of Fallujah in 2004 were turning points in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Elements of the US Marine Corps began an offensive in April to destroy enemy forces in the town, but the battle ended prematurely with the Marines being replaced by the “Fallujah Brigade,” followed soon after by a complete enemy takeover of the city. Some units of the new Iraqi Army were also committed to the first battle; they were found wanting and the entire Iraqi training program significantly changed in response.

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Operations at the Border

Art of War Papers

By Eric Hunter Haas, MAJ, US Army

134 Pages

Published: 2012

Disrupting an insurgent’s access to sanctuary and safe-haven is a critical aspect of operational planning for counterinsurgent forces. By denying an insurgent’s access to safe-havens early in the conflict, the counterinsurgent will gain a marked advantage over the initially weaker force. Only through a deep understanding of how the insurgent is using international, tribal, or cultural borders to evade the counterinsurgent force can the counterinsurgent disrupt the insurgent operations. In order to accomplish this, the counterinsurgent must understand the physical terrain and cultural demographics, nest border operations into the overarching strategy, and employ security forces to reinforce success.

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Protecting, Isolating, and Controlling Behavior

Art of War Papers

By Mark E. Battjes, MAJ, US Army

292 Pages

Published: 2012

The classical counterinsurgency theorists emphasize that it is necessary for the government to gain and maintain control of the population in order to defeat the insurgency. They describe population and resource control measures as a means of doing so. However, some contemporary writers have questioned the legitimacy of such tactics and doubt that they can be employed effectively in modern campaigns.

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Public War, Private Fight? The United States and Private Military Companies

Occasional Paper 12

By Deborah C. Kidwell

82 Pages

Published: 2005

Former Army Chief of Staff J. Lawton Collins was inducted into the Fort Leavenworth Memorial Hall of Fame on 17 May 1983. The Hall of Fame was established to honor American soldiers who have contributed significantly to the defense of the United States. General Collins, recognized as the "best" corps commander during World War II, was elected by a panel of distinguished historians.

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Red Devils

Tactical Perspectives From Iraq

By Lieutenant Colonel Harry D. Tunnell IV

67 Pages

Published: 2006

LTC Harry Tunnell’s Red Devils is the history of one Soldier’s and one unit’s experience in Operation Iraqi Freedom. War must be studied from a variety of perspectives if one hopes to understand it and profit from that understanding. Like studies of grand strategy and operational histories, personal accounts of war are a critical aspect of understanding that im-mensely complex phenomenon.

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Road to Abu Ghraib:

US Army Detainee Doctrine and Experience - Occasional Paper 6

By James F. Gebhardt

153 Pages

Published: 2005

The US Army’s experience with detainee operations spans the period from the Revolutionary War to the present. More to the point, over the past 60 years a body of international law and military regulations, the joint and Army doctrine derived from it, and two centuries of practical experience have emerged that inform current detainee operations in the Global War on Terrorism.

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Task Force 2/4 Cav, "First In, Last Out"

The History of the 2d Squadron, 4th Cavalry

By MAJ Joseph C. Barto

154 Pages

Published: 1993

Wars have been studied from every viewpoint from the most abstract to the intensely personal. In the case of Major Joseph C. Barto Is Task Force 2-4 Cav-"First In, Last Out": The History of the 2d Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, During Operation Desert Storm, war is viewed from the perspective of one man's impression of a volatile, fluid battle. Re-creating his experiences in Operation Desert Storm from pieced together notes, an extensive journal, and a variety of other sources, Barto tells the story of TF 2-4 Cav. From his position as the squadron's executive officer and officer in charge of its tactical operations center, Barto reports the planning and execution of his squadron as it advanced across the desert in pursuit of Iraqis. The end result of Barto's reporting is a uniquely personal view of one man's experience during a rapidly evolving operation. Barto's exercise is not meant to be a polished analysis but rather provides students of military history with an inside view of the operations of a cavalry squadron on a dynamic, oftentimes uncertain, battlefield.

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The Biggest Stick - The Employment of Artillery Units in Counterinsurgency

Art of War Papers

By Richard B. Johnson, MAJ, US Army

229 Pages

Published: 2012

This study uses a comparative analysis of the Malayan Emergency, the American experience in Vietnam, and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM to examine the role and effectiveness of artillery units in complex counterinsurgency environments. Through this analysis, four factors emerge which impact the employment of artillery units: the counterinsurgency effort’s requirement for indirect fires; constraints and limitations on indirect fires; the counterinsurgency effort’s force organization; and the conversion cost of nonstandard roles for artillery units.

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The US Army in Kirkuk

Occasional Paper 35

By Peter W. Connors

130 Pages

Published: 2011

The Combat Studies Institute presents The US Army in Kirkuk: Governance Operations on the Fault Lines of Iraqi Society, 2003-2009 by Dr. Pete Connors. This work chronicles the challenging task of bringing stability and representative government to the Iraqi city of Kirkuk after the fall of the Baathist regime.

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Through the Lens of Cultural Awareness

By William D. Wunderle

152 Pages

Published: 2006

Conducting the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) and projecting United States (US) influence worldwide has meant an increasing number of US diplomats and military forces are assigned to locations around the world, some of which have not previously had a significant US presence. In the current security environment, understanding foreign cultures and societies has become a national priority. Cultural understanding is necessary both to defeat adversaries and to work successfully with allies.

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To Fight or Not to Fight?

By Robert S. Cameron, Ph.D.

656 Pages

Published: 2010

To Fight or Not to Fight? is a must read for those responsible for designing reconnaissance organizations, writing the related doctrine, establishing the materiel requirements, and training scouts. It is also recommended for those serving in reconnaissance organizations who every day discover new trails for others to follow.

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Traditions, Changes, and Challenges: Military Operations and the Middle Eastern City

Occasional Paper 1

By Louis A. DiMarco

81 Pages

Published: 2004

The Middle East is one of the most urbanized regions of the world, and growth continues at an unprecedented rate. With operations ongoing in the Middle East today, it is fitting that this inaugural study should focus on military aspects of the urban areas of that region. There is an undoubted need for US military planners to possess a solid foundation of military history, cultural awareness, and an understanding of the intricacies of city design and function in this critical region. Each conflict brings its own challenges and dynamics. The challenges of a Middle Eastern fight require decisive involvement in that region’s cities. The enemy is adaptive—we must be adaptive as well. This call to study and understand history and culture is the first step along that road to critical thinking and adaptability.

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Understanding the “Victory Disease,” From the Little Bighorn to Mogadishu and Beyond

Occasional Paper 3

By MAJ Timothy Karcher

64 Pages

Published: 2004

As a result of America’s national strength and its demonstrated military prowess, US forces are quite susceptible to falling prey to the effects of the “victory disease.” The disease, by definition, brings defeat to a previously victorious nation or military due to three basic symptoms: arrogance, complacency, and the habit of using established patterns to solve military problems.

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Occasional Paper 36: We Have Not Learned How to Wage War There

By Matt M. Matthews

86 Pages

Published: 2011

The Soviets experienced innumerable tribulations during their decade long struggle in Afghanistan, and while they almost certainly never truly grasped the complexities of the situation, they did achieve a few striking successes. They managed to leave behind an Afghan government and army capable of withstanding the Soviet withdrawal. As historian Lester W. Grau recently noted, “The withdrawal was based on a coordinated diplomatic, economic and military plan permitting Soviet forces to withdraw in good order and the Afghan government to survive.”

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Wrath of Achilles: Essays on Command in Battle

By Colonel Richard D. Hooker, Jr.

220 Pages

Published: 2011

“Sing Goddess, of the wrath of Achilles, Peleus’ son.” So begins the Iliad, the greatest war epic in western culture. Since the dawn of recorded history, the history of man has been nearly synonymous with the history of war, a history that begins with Homer and continues today. Then as now, war remains the ultimate arbiter of human affairs, an awful and ever-present reminder of humanity’s failure to escape its wrathful roots.

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