Antiguerrilla Operations

Abstract

The four basic approaches to antiguerrilla opera tions are extermination or resettlement of the civilian popula tion which includes supporters of the guerrillas, with concurrent military or police action against the guerrillas; military action against the guerrillas with incidental attention to civilians; surrender to the guerrillas; and co-ordinated political, psy chological, welfare, and military actions designed to convince both civilians and guerrillas that their legitimate aspirations can best be achieved by co-operation with the government and that continued guerrilla activity will be increasingly unpleasant, un successful, and ultimately fatal. All approaches have been employed repeatedly, but only the fourth has succeeded in achieving the objectives of the antiguerrilla forces while re specting the human rights of the civilian population. Mag saysay in the Philippines, having experienced the first three approaches, successfully employed the fourth, dramatically offering the Communist-led guerrillas, the Huk, their sup porters, and the civilian population as a whole the choice of all- out force or all-out friendship. This approach requires nearly the same energy, intelligence, resourcefulness, and dedication as a successful guerrilla movement. Like such a movement, success is in large measure dependent on the behavior of troops in contact with civilians, and forceful, dynamic leadership seems an essential.