Small Wars Manual [Paperback]

U. S. Marine Corps (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 4, 2004

"This remarkable manual is one of the durable and time-honored mainstays of military wisdom. Even with the new thinking that includes ""Shock and Awe,"" this 1940 manual was sent to Iraq as a needed reference." For fans of the Army, Marines, and followers of the War on Terrorism, this is a needed book.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The United States Marine have a proud history of defending the country and doing things the right way.

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Pavilion Press (February 4, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1414506406
• ISBN-13: 978-1414506401
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,829,554 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Proves that counter-insurgency is not new, May 2, 2006

By 

Art (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Small Wars Manual (Paperback)

Despite being over sixty years old, the 1940 edition of the USMC's Small Wars Manual remains one of the cornerstone documents for fighting counter-insurgency warfare. Written in a direct style that is absent from today's military documents, the small wars manual covers the art of fighting limited wars from A-Z, to include ambushes, running elections, disarming the population, and dealing with locals. This book is widely used, often imitated, but never beaten. Far from a historical document, the Small Wars Manual remains vital today.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Old Book but Surprisingly Revelant, October 25, 2005

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Small Wars Manual (Paperback)

Between the two world wars the United States sent its military forces to numerous small countries to bolster the US diplomatic efforts. The countries so 'invaded' included virtually every Latin American country and countries as far away as China and the Philippines. In order to have their forces operate, the United States military has to have manuals that define what the forces are going to do.

'Small Wars' are defined in several ways but which do not involve a major effort in regular warfare against a first-rate power. The final manual on the subject was published in 1940, before the concept of small wars was erased by bigger events. After World War II, the manual was not re-written but was reprinted from time to time with the admonition that it should be considered in relation to the time in which it was written.

Now re-published again, the book has been sent to Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries where 'Small Wars' are being fought. It covers every aspect from Strategy to Logistics, from Transportation to small unit tactics. Within the range of subjects covered is Air Trasportation, remember that this was written in 1940. But it also tells you how to load a Browning .30 water cooled machine gun on a pack mule.

This book is obviously not a direct report on what is going on around the world, but it is surprising that so much of the information given here is directly applicable.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars GOOD BOOK, but VERY POOR BINDING, December 21, 2006

By 

ohsolomia (Dallas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Small Wars Manual (Paperback)

Fascinating book, well written, thoughtful field manual relevant to the history of this type of conflict.
Good historical introduction. I am thankful for its preservation.

Pavillion Press edition is the most poorly bound book I have ever bought.
I thought Gutenburg figured out how to do that job correctly.
Treat it gently as it falls apart in your hands due to poor binding and construction.
Don't even think about opening it flat.
Consider it more as a looseleaf photocopy of a lost text.
Such poor presentation detracts from an otherwise very worthwhile effort.