UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

FACULTY OF ARTS

HISTORY DEPARTMENT
War & Strategic Studies Unit
Academic Year: 2018

Session: 1st Semester

LECTURER : Brig Gen (Retd) Dr M J Chinyanganya

Course: Guérilla Warfare : Theory and Practice

Course Code: HWAR 104

Course Description:

The course in Guerrilla Warfare deals with guerrilla warfare from a strategic and tactical
point. By definition Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which a small
group of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or irregulars, use
military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run tactics,
and mobility to fight a larger and less-mobile traditional military. Special attention will
be given to chosen issues on ideological conflicts, guerrilla campaigns, episodes and
conflicts in which the guerrilla strategy and tactics were used in the international system.
The changing patterns of guerrilla warfare will be tackled so that the non static aspect of
guerrilla warfare can better be understood.

The strategy and tactics of guerrilla warfare tend to focus around the use of a small,
mobile force competing against a larger, more unwieldy one. The Guerrilla focuses on
organizing in small units, depending on the support of the local population, as well as
taking advantage of terrain more accommodating of small units

1
Since 1945 guerrilla warfare has been the principal form of violent conflict. Its successful
practitioners apply a highly developed sense of geography to exploit the advantages of
terrain to discomfort the established order. To overcome such attacks, counter-insurgents
need an equal or superior understanding of the landscape. The tactics employed by
guerrillas and their opposition are suggestive of general sets of geographical conditions
favouring one side or the other. It is postulated that the principal factors determining the
relative advantage of the landscape for guerrilla or regular forces are population density
and the cover afforded by the terrain. Empirical data from a selection of conflicts will be
presented on the course. These suggest that guerrillas are at a comparative advantage in
conditions of high population density and greater cover. The density and man-made
broken terrain of city and suburb offer a ready explanation for the emergence of urban
guerrillas in recent years. These advantages are enhanced by the deterrent the urban
setting offers to quantitative military operations. In cities there is the maximum prospect
of offending the civilian population in seeking to root out guerrillas.

Purpose of the Course

The purpose of the course is to empower students with the adequate skills required for the
execution of guerrilla warfare so that its strength will not be down played where there is
need to resolve conflicts which involve guerrillas.

Objectives of the Course:

By the end of the course students should be able to;

 Give a survey on the origins and development of guerrilla warfare
 Identify and discuss guerrilla theories or philosophies
 Explain the transformations that have evolved in the strategy of guerrilla warfare
from the pre- Napoleon war to the present
 Compare and contrast guerrilla and regular/conventional warfare.
 Critical assess/discuss/explain the guerilla warfare with reference to identified
case studies drawn from Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Asia, North
America and Africa

2
Course Content
 Origins or background of guerrilla warfare.
 Theories of guerrilla warfare.
 Types of guerrilla strategy i.e. Urban and Rural.
 Causes of guerrilla strategy and prevention.
 Guerrilla strategy versus regular/conventional strategy.
 Guiseppe Mazzini, Lenin and Mao Zedong and the rules of conduct of guerrilla
strategy.
 Guerrilla strategy in operation cases of; Africa, Latin America, Middle East, Asia,
Europe and North America.
 Modern urban Guerrilla warfare

Methodology on the Course in Detail

 The course is based on a mixture of central presentations and tutorial sessions. n

integrative learning process. The primary concern is the development of skills

required of undergraduate standard. The course uses a mixture central

presentations and tutorial sessions. Tutorial sessions will consist of a group of 25

to 30 students.

 Individual students are expected to present a selected topic paper which will be

used as the basis of a tutorial presentation. The topic paper written by students

will be submitted for marking.by the lecturer. An assignment should be at least 10

pages and if typed should be font size 12 with 1.5 spacing. The referencing style

should be consistent with the Harvard standard referencing system. Manually

written assignments are acceptable.

3
  Each assignment should have at least 10 reference materials which should include

e- articles and e-journals on the subject. The course assignment mark and a timed

written examination mark contribute to an average of 25% of the total assessment

of the course. The 75% will be the examinable mark at the end of the semester.

 The following are some of the standards expected of students:

 All students are expected to read widely and avidly.

 All students are expected to attend all class seminars without exception.

 Classes will begin strictly on time and students should make an effort to

be always on time.

 Students are encouraged to become confident in exploring and expressing

their views and analyses.

Students are encouraged to produce high quality written assignments always.

………………………………………………………………………….

Guerrilla Warfare HWAR 104 Individual Tutorial Questions

1. Examine the major principles identified Enersto “Che” Guevara in the

development of guerrilla warfare…Tatenda Muchinako………………

2. Examine the lessons learnt by the nationalist guerrilla fighters during the war of
liberation in Zimbabwe in the Second Chimurenga war (1966 - 1979).

…Tafadzwa Kuchena…………………………………..
3. Evaluate the main characteristics which were advanced by Mao Tse-tung in his
theories on ‘the people’s war’. Hazel Chikarati………………………………

4
4. Discuss the tactics that were used by the civilian population during the struggle
for liberation with reference to one African country of your choice?
…………………………………………….
5. Critically discuss the United States fail to win the Vietnam War (1955 to 1975)

. …Rutendo Pikirai………………………..

6. Analyse the contributions of T E Lawrence of Arabia during the Sinai and

Palestine Campaign and the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during the
First World War ……………………………………………………….

7. Examine the guerrilla strategies and tactics employed by the National Liberation
Front (FNLA) during the Algerian War of Independence (1954 – 1962).Andrew
Chidudu……………………………………………..

8. Discuss the key successful guerrilla strategies and tactics employed by the
Boers during The Second Boer War (11 October 1899 – 31 May 1902)?

Siphosetu Mtempo………………………………….

5
Suggested Reading List

Earle, E. M. (ed.), Makers of Modern Strategy: Military Thought from Machiavelli to

Hitler, Princeton, 1943.
Sun Tzu, The Art of War, London 1963.
Carl Von Clausewitz, On War, Harmondsworth, 1971.
Laqueur, W., The Guerrilla Reader, New York, 1978.
Chaliand, G., Guerilla Strategies: An Historical Anthology from the Long March to
Afghanistan, University of Califonia Press, London, 1982.
Laqueur, W., Guerrilla: A Historical and Critical Study, Weidenfeld and Nicholson,
London1977.
Kohl, J., Urban Guerrilla Warfare in Latin America, Cambridge, 1974.
Che Guevara, E., Guerrila Warfare, London, 1969.
Vo Nguyen Giap, People’s War: People’s Army, Hanoi, 1962.
Vo Nguyen Giap, The Military Art of People’s War, New York, 1970.
Galula, D., Counter Insurgency Warfare, Theory and Practice, London 1974.
Debray, R., Strategy for Revolution, London, 1973.
Debray, R., Revolution in the Revolution, New York, 1967.
Ellis, E., A Short History of Guerrilla Warfare, London, 1975.
Gott, R., Guerrilla Movements in Latin America, London 1970.
Hart, B. L., T.E. Lawrence in Arabia and After, London, 1934.
Maguire, T. M., Guerrilla or Partisan Warfare, London 1904.
Mao Tse-tung, On Guerrilla Warfare, London, 1961.
Mao Ts-tung, Basic Tactics, London 1968.
Johnson, R. F., Night Attacks, London, 1986.
Martin A. R., Mountain and Savage Warfare,
NB Students should read other texts, which are not referred to in this reading List.
RESOURCE CENTRES

6
Students are reminded to visit other Resource Centres where they can get access besides
the University library. Some of these are: The Parliament Library to those who can access
it; The National Archives, The British Embassy Library etc.