George Mason University
Department of Geography
and Geoinformation Sciences
Fall Semester 2012
Geography of Asymmetric Warfare
GGS 399-002
Course Syllabus
Instructor: Mr. F. H. Dillon, III
Class Location: Robinson Hall, Room B108
Office: Robinson Hall, Room A110
Meeting Time: Monday, 4:30-7:10 p.m.
Office Hours: Monday, 7:30-8:00 or by appointment
Email: [email protected]
Course Blackboard Page: mymasonportal.gmu.edu
Course Overview: Asymmetric warfare is defined as conflict between two adversaries with significant
differences in relative military resources and capabilities. Under these conditions belligerents seek to
offset disadvantages in brute strength by focusing on their opponent’s weaknesses or constraints. In
doing so, geographical considerations are one of, if not the, determining factor in shaping both
asymmetric strategy and tactics. Understanding the geographical nature of the field of combat in terms
of its physical aspects such as climate, topography, and natural vegetation as well as the cultural
features of land use and settlement patterns, transportation and communications networks, and
ethnography is essential to explaining how and why an asymmetric approach works. This course will
explore the geographical dimensions of asymmetric warfare in the American experience.
Course Objectives:
Based upon assigned reading, class discussion, and individual research, the student will be able to:
1. define the various forms of asymmetric warfare in terms of both strategy and tactics;
2. explain how the tactics of asymmetric warfare seek to capitalize on environmental factors, such as
climate, soils, topography, and vegetation;
3. explain how the tactics of asymmetric warfare seek to capitalize on cultural factors, such as
settlement patterns, land use, transportation and communications networks, and ethnography;
4. analyze the differences among a variety of historical campaigns of asymmetric warfare, and suggest
how these forms developed in response to cultural and environmental factors;
5. analyze the effectiveness in the use of terrain by leaders in asymmetric campaigns to offset
disadvantages or gain advantages over opponents in both a strategic and tactical sense.
Required Text:
1. John Arquilla, Insurgents, Raiders, and Bandits: How Masters of Irregular Warfare Have
Shaped Our World, Ivan R. Dee, 2011
2. David Galula, Counterinsurgency Warfare: Theory and Practice, Praeger, 1964
3. John A. Nagl, Learning to Eat Soup With a Knife : Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and
Vietnam, University of Chicago Press, 2005
4. Max Boot, Savage Wars of Peace, New York: Basic Books, 2002
These books are readily available from Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble Online.
Other readings as assigned; these will be available on reserve in the Johnson Center library or in
electronic form on Blackboard.
Student Requirements:
As an upper level course students are expected to read and write critically, and conduct significant
research outside the classroom. Students are responsible for all assigned reading and lecture material.
Examinations and Examination Policies:
1. There will be two Exams including a Mid-term and a comprehensive Final Exam.
2. NO makeup exams will be given except under the most extraordinary circumstances (e.g.
hospitalization). Makeup arrangements will be requested in writing in advance of the exam.
3. The Final Exam will NOT be administered early; please plan ahead.
Research and Analysis:
Prepare a geographically based analysis of a selected asymmetric conflict. Your written findings
will be submitted as a research paper (see Annex A).
Written Work:
1. A geographic assessment of an asymmetric conflict (see Annex A).
2. Papers cannot be accepted beyond the date indicated on the class schedule.
Academic Integrity:
Academic integrity is essential. Each individual is expected to do his or her own work. Violations of the
University Honor Code will not be tolerated and will result in course failure.
Grading Scheme and Policy:
Letter grades of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C, D, F will be assigned for completion of this course based on the
cumulative score of all evaluated work. Rather than assign individual letter grades for the individual
projects listed below, they will be evaluated on a per cent basis from which the final, total, score will be
determined. As an upper level course the following grading scale will be employed: A = 100-95, A- =
94-92, B+ = 91-90, B = 89-83, B- = 84-81, C = 80-70, F = 69 and below. A grade of Incomplete must
be requested in writing in advance, no later than 11/26, and can only be approved with a passing grade
average.
Paper 25%
Midterm 30% Final 30%
Chapter précis 15%
Key Dates:
8/27 Class Begins
9/3
Labor Day (no class)
9/6
Last day to add course
10/9 Class meets on Tuesday
10/19 Mid Term Exam
12/14 Final Exam - 7:30-10:15 p.m.
Tentative Class Schedule
(As of 26 August 2012)
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
Date
8/27
9/3
9/101
Topic
Assignment
Reading
Introduction
No Class – Labor Day
Doctrinal Considerations and
geography – The Principles
of War
Three Levels of War –
Strategic, Operational, and
Tactical
Arquilla Chap 1; Boot
Preface; Gray
“Irregular Warfare”
Galula (all); McColl
7
9/17
9/24
10/1
10/9
(Tues)
10/15
8
10/22
9
10/29
Geography of Insurgency
Physical Terrain
Human Terrain
French and Indian War 17551763
American Revolution 17761783
Mid Term Exam / Barbary
Wars 1801-1805, 1815
American Civil War 1861-1865
10
11/5
The Indian Wars 1865-1898
11
11/12
12
11/19
13
11/26
The Philippine Insurrection
1899-1902
Mexican Punitive Expedition
1916-1917
Malaya and Viet Nam 19481975
14
12/3
Future War
Final
12/17
4:30-7:15 p.m.
Chapter
précis*
Arquilla Chap 2;
Russell “Redcoats”
Arquilla Chap 3
Boot Chap 1
Book review
due
Research
paper due
Arquilla Chap 8; Birtle
Chap 2
Arquilla Chap 9; Birtle
Chap 3
Boot Chap 5; Birtle
Chap 4
Boot Chap 8; Birtle
Chap 6
Arquilla Chaps 16-17;
Boot Chap 13; Nagl
(all)
Arquilla Chap 20; Boot
Chap 15; Kilcullen
Annex A: Research Paper
Annex B: Chapter Précis
1 You must be enrolled in the course not later than 4 September to receive a grade. No “Force Adds” are possible
on or after this date. Check Patriot Web for enrollment status.
Annex A GGS 399
Research Paper
Each student will demonstrate their understanding of the geographical factors discussed
in class by applying them to an analysis of a selected asymmetric conflict. This analysis
will be the major research project of the course. The analysis will address how
environmental factors shaped the nature of an asymmetric conflict.
Select your topic from the list at Appendix 1 to this annex; you are limited to this list.
You will be asked to submit a study proposal early in the course. The case studies
presented in class are designed to demonstrate how such an analysis should be
conducted. The results of your research and study will be submitted as a written
analysis of the conflict in a narrative form.
Paper Proposal (2-3 pages): Briefly describe the battle you intend to study in terms of
identifying the participants, when and where the battle was fought, the type of battle,
and speculate on the major geographical factor (climate, terrain, or cultural features)
influencing this particular battle. You must include an initial list of a minimum of four
references.
Part 1 – The Strategic Context (6 pages): This part will describe the general setting of
the battle in terms of the strategic and operational levels of war. It should answer the
following questions –
Strategic Context:
What was the strategic setting (where, when, for what purpose) of the conflict?
Describe the relationship of the conflict to other political/military conditions at the
time.
What strategic objective was served by the conflict?
Provide a short timeline of events for the conlict.
What geographical considerations influenced the selection of strategic objectives
and/or the resources allocated to the mission?
Order of Battle:
What types of forces (irregular, partisan, police, military, etc) were engaged?
What were the principal types of weapons and means of communications and
transportation employed?
Part 2a – Define the Tactical Environment (6-8 pages): Using maps and narrative,
identify the significant characteristics of the environment that shaped the conduct and
outcome of the battle including:
Physical features
o Topography – slope and elevation
o Vegetation – type and density
o Surface hydrology – depth, velocity, banks, and streambed
o Surface materials – soils and trafficability
o Climate and weather
o Day versus night – sunrise, sunset, hours of daylight and darkness, and
moon phase
Cultural features
o Settlement patterns – spatial organization, street patterns, and building
construction
o Land use patterns – agricultural and industrial
o Population – size, distribution, and age-sex structure
o Culture traits – religion, language, social relationships, and political
affiliation
o Infrastructure – transportation and communications
o Rules of engagement
You must use a map or series of maps to describe the spatial distribution of these
features.
Part 2b – Analyze the Tactical Environment (6-8 pages): Using maps and a narrative,
make a determination of how the environment, as described in Part 2a above, affected
the tactics employed in the conflict. This determination will be based upon an
assessment of the effectiveness in the use of terrain by the combatants:
An analysis of how well the terrain afforded advantages in the following aspects:
o Movement
o Cover
o Concealment
o Obstacles – identify unrestricted, restricted, and severely restricted terrain
o Key terrain – as objectives or defensive positions
An analysis of the advantageous use of weather to include the following:
o Visibility (daylight versus darkness)
o Winds
o Precipitation
o Cloud cover
o Temperature and humidity
An analysis of the effects of cultural features including some or all of the
following:
o Settlement patterns
o Land use patterns
o Transportation and communications infrastructure
o Presence and characteristics of non-combatant population
o Rules of engagement
Your evaluation must assess how these characteristics represented a significant
advantage or disadvantage to either opponent. You must use a map of the battle area
to identify, locate, and describe the nature and effect of specific physical and cultural
features on the course and outcome of the conflict.
You will also provide an annotated bibliography of a minimum of six references to
support your research; if you can’t find six sources find another topic. You are limited to
only two Internet sources and these must be “quality” sites from an academic or
professional source. Internet sites must be properly referenced and I must be able to
find them. The annotation of your bibliography must describe the information you found
and used from each source and how it contributed to your findings.
Keep in mind this is a GEOGRAPHY paper and the focus must be geographical and not
historical. The chapters in Arquila and Boot provide an example of the type of analysis
you want to emulate.
The format of the paper will be double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and a 10 or 12
pitch font. The length of the paper will not exceed the page count for each section (a
maximum total of 22 pages), not counting maps, illustrations, end-notes, and
bibliography. A few well-written pages are much more effective than reams of vacuous
rubbish. A separate cover page (with the paper title, your name, student ID number,
course title and number) and the annotated bibliography will not count against the page
total. References in the body of the text will be cited using the following format (author’s
last name/s, year of publication). Direct quotations will be indented one and one half
inches from the margin, single-spaced, and referenced in an endnote including page
number from the original text. Final papers submitted late will result in an initial course
grade of incomplete.
Appendix 1 to Annex A
Research Topics for the Conflict Analysis
1. French and Indian War – Ohio Frontier 1758-1763
2. American Revolution – Francis Marion in South Carolina 1780-1781
3. Barbary Wars – America’s First War on Terror 1801-1805, 1815
4. Civil War – Mosby’s Rangers and Partisan Warfare in Northern Virginia 1861-1865
5. Indian Wars – Crook and the Apache Scouts
6. Second Boer War 1899-1902
7. Philippine Insurrection – 1900-1902
8. Haiti – Constabulary 1915-1934
9. Mexican Punitive Expedition – Chasing Pancho Villa 1916-1917
10. World War I – East Africa and von Lettow-Vorbeck
11. World War II – US/Filipino Guerilla Operations in the Philippines
12. World War II – Orde Wingate and the Chindits
13. World War II – Jedburghs: The OSS in Western Europe 1944-1945
14. World War II – Kachin Rangers: The OSS in Northern Burma 1942-1945
15. Korean War – Special Operations in North Korea and China 1950-1953
16. Vietnam War – Counter-revolutionary Warfare 1965-1972
Annex B: Chapter Précis
You will prepare one chapter précis selected from the assigned readings for three of the lessons
from weeks 6 to 12. You will turn in a total of three chapter précis. This précis will be due in
class for that lesson.
What is a précis? A précis is a cogent reduction of a text. A précis should include all of the
important ideas in the original text, using your own words instead of the words of the original
author. Nothing of primary importance is excluded, and nothing of secondary importance is
included. A précis does not involve commentary on or analysis of the text. In fact, the writer of a
précis expresses no opinion at all about the passage. Your ability to read exactly, to notice
distinctions, and to state clearly another person's ideas in your own words - these are what will
count.
Do not follow closely the actual wording of the original in a reduced form. The use of a few
key words and occasionally key expressions may be unavoidable.
Follow the design of the original argument.
Do not present merely the conclusions, or the general idea.
Do not use such expressions as, "This passage says …," "according to the author," and the
like.
An excellent précis rephrases in as brief a form as possible the argument and conclusions of an
original. Your précis should be about 1/6th the length of the original reading (one page for every
six pages of text). The purpose of this assignment is to:
a) test your comprehension
b) test your ability to synthesize the information
c) test your communication skills.
It must be written in proper English, without slang. The format will be double spaced in 12 pitch
font with one inch margins.