Guerrilla Warfare: Cause and Conflict (A 21st Century Success Story.)

摘要

Guerrilla force have conducted irregular warfare-with varying degrees of intensity and success-in all ages and all regions of the world, from biblical times to the present. This essay contends that this spectre will haunt the world even more menacingly in the twenty-first century. It states that an overpopulated earth, combined with the failure of governments to meet the social needs of their people, is driving the disillusioned and despairing ever more rapidly toward active participation in, or support of, guerrilla organizations. Although this essay is oriented toward the year 2000 and beyond, the author notes that the emotional forces which ignite conflicts already exist in most of the underdeveloped nations and soon will jolt more advanced societies as well. Actions that national leaders might take to lower the threshold of threat and to deter the growth of guerrilla organizations are suggested, together with the observation that many of the deterrents would be difficult to implement within democratic societies.