Roger Trinquier Modern Warfare
MODERN WARFARE
A French View of Counterinsurgency by Roger Trinquier
The views expressed in Modern Warfare are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Department of the
Army or the Department of Defense.
COMBAT
STUDIES
INSTITUTE
U.S. ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLLEGE
FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS
January 1985
91-5016
MODERN WARFARE
A French View of Counterinsurgency
Roger Trinquier
Translated from the French by DANIEL LEE
With an Introduction by BERNARD B. FALL
PALL MALL PRESS
London and Dunmow
Published in Great Britain in 1964 by the Pall Mall Press Ltd.
77-79 Charlotte Street, London W.I, England
First published in France in 1961 under the title
LA GUERRE MODERNE by Editions de la Table Ronde
Att rights reserved
© 1961 by Editions de la Table Ronde translation © 1964 by Frederick A. Praeger, Inc.
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
A Portrait of the "Centurion," by Bernard B. Fatt
vii
5.
6.
Part One: PREPARATION FOR WAR
The Need To Adapt Our Military Apparatus to Modern Warfare
Modern Warfare Defined
An Example of a Clandestine Warfare
Organization
Terrorism—The Principal Weapon of Modern
Warfare
Identifying the Adversary
Defense of the Territory
16
26
29
7.
8.
9.
10.
Part Two: THE POLITICAL AND MILITARY
CONDUCT OF THE WAR
Direct Action on the Populations of Cities
Errors in Fighting the Guerrilla
The Problem of Resources
Conducting Counterguerrilla Operations
43
52
61
67
Part Three: CARRYING THE WAR TO THE ENEMY
11. The Inadequacies of Traditional Warfare
12. Modern Warfare in Enemy Territory
97
104
Conclusion
113
1.
2.
3.
4.
91-5016
3
6
10
A Portrait of the "Centurion" by BERNARD B. FALL
In a book that became one of France's greatest best sellers since World War II, Jean Lart6guy gave the name of "centurion" to the hard-bitten French regular who had survived the Indochina war, had learned his Mao Tse-tung the hard way, and later had sought to apply his lessons in
Algeria or even in mainland France.*
Of
A French View of Counterinsurgency by Roger Trinquier
The views expressed in Modern Warfare are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Department of the
Army or the Department of Defense.
COMBAT
STUDIES
INSTITUTE
U.S. ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLLEGE
FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS
January 1985
91-5016
MODERN WARFARE
A French View of Counterinsurgency
Roger Trinquier
Translated from the French by DANIEL LEE
With an Introduction by BERNARD B. FALL
PALL MALL PRESS
London and Dunmow
Published in Great Britain in 1964 by the Pall Mall Press Ltd.
77-79 Charlotte Street, London W.I, England
First published in France in 1961 under the title
LA GUERRE MODERNE by Editions de la Table Ronde
Att rights reserved
© 1961 by Editions de la Table Ronde translation © 1964 by Frederick A. Praeger, Inc.
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
A Portrait of the "Centurion," by Bernard B. Fatt
vii
5.
6.
Part One: PREPARATION FOR WAR
The Need To Adapt Our Military Apparatus to Modern Warfare
Modern Warfare Defined
An Example of a Clandestine Warfare
Organization
Terrorism—The Principal Weapon of Modern
Warfare
Identifying the Adversary
Defense of the Territory
16
26
29
7.
8.
9.
10.
Part Two: THE POLITICAL AND MILITARY
CONDUCT OF THE WAR
Direct Action on the Populations of Cities
Errors in Fighting the Guerrilla
The Problem of Resources
Conducting Counterguerrilla Operations
43
52
61
67
Part Three: CARRYING THE WAR TO THE ENEMY
11. The Inadequacies of Traditional Warfare
12. Modern Warfare in Enemy Territory
97
104
Conclusion
113
1.
2.
3.
4.
91-5016
3
6
10
A Portrait of the "Centurion" by BERNARD B. FALL
In a book that became one of France's greatest best sellers since World War II, Jean Lart6guy gave the name of "centurion" to the hard-bitten French regular who had survived the Indochina war, had learned his Mao Tse-tung the hard way, and later had sought to apply his lessons in
Algeria or even in mainland France.*
Of