Militaries that should have advanced tanks

[riksavage]

Jungle Warefare

I find the detrimental statement about British jungle training (Golan) rather arrogant considering the Israeli military’s zero experience of combat in a jungle environment. If I remember rightly, General Templer’s (British General – Malayan Emergency 1948-51) approach to jungle warfare and his ability to adapt military doctrine, win hearts and minds, encourage institutional flexibility eventually lead to the total defeat of the communist insurgency, the campaign still stands out as one of the most successful since WWII, and is used as a benchmark example at military academies of how to defeat an insurgency. The fact that the Israeli’s chose to follow the American jungle manual written during Vietnam conflict, a war the US eventually lost appears somewhat ironic to me. I sincerely hope the Singaporeans are not still not using the same manual today!

 

[gf0012-aust]

I find the detrimental statement about British jungle training (Golan) rather arrogant considering the Israeli military’s zero experience of combat in a jungle environment. If I remember rightly, General Templer’s (British General – Malayan Emergency 1948-51) approach to jungle warfare and his ability to adapt military doctrine, win hearts and minds, encourage institutional flexibility eventually lead to the total defeat of the communist insurgency, the campaign still stands out as one of the most successful since WWII, and is used as a benchmark example at military academies of how to defeat an insurgency. The fact that the Israeli’s chose to follow the American jungle manual written during Vietnam conflict, a war the US eventually lost appears somewhat ironic to me. I sincerely hope the Singaporeans are not still not using the same manual today!

The successful use of MBT's in jungle warfare was demonstrated by the Aust Army in Vietnam - and thats still regarded as text book use in a number of militaries.

on another note, I've either suffered a lapse or I've completely missed any disparaging references to brit jungle warfare capability in prev posts.

both slim and templer are text book examples of insurgency and counter insurgency warfare...

 

[riksavage]

Jungle warfare

I was referring to the following:

"Three months later, the two officers returned with the knowledge they acquired in Malaysia, and we decided to conduct a course in jungle combat," Golan continues. "Out of curiosity, I decided to join. It looked very bad - it was clear that they had taught them British methods from the Second World War period. I decided to take a group of 10 officers. We entered the jungle and started to engage in war games. We trained in navigation, deploying forces, search and assault. We went through the American training manuals on combat in Vietnam. We developed methods of night navigation. We learned how to function with a fighting company in the dense undergrowth. After a few weeks of training, I wrote the training manual of the Singapore Armed Forces for jungle combat."

My response was more to do with the Isreali's teaching the Singaporeans jungle warfare, which I found ironic considering their total lack of experience, it should have been the other way around!

 

[gf0012-aust]

I was referring to the following:

"Three months later, the two officers returned with the knowledge they acquired in Malaysia, and we decided to conduct a course in jungle combat," Golan continues. "Out of curiosity, I decided to join. It looked very bad - it was clear that they had taught them British methods from the Second World War period. I decided to take a group of 10 officers. We entered the jungle and started to engage in war games. We trained in navigation, deploying forces, search and assault. We went through the American training manuals on combat in Vietnam. We developed methods of night navigation. We learned how to function with a fighting company in the dense undergrowth. After a few weeks of training, I wrote the training manual of the Singapore Armed Forces for jungle combat."

My response was more to do with the Isreali's teaching the Singaporeans jungle warfare, which I found ironic considering their total lack of experience, it should have been the other way around!

well, I guess I had a massive brain fart as I didn't even register on that comment.

I agree, it seems a rather odd piece of prose and the Sings would have been far better placed to write their own book on jungle warfare. Maybe, he has suffered from that affliction that some biographers go through where their impact on history gets distorted in the mirror. Monty and Patton being stellar examples of that....

 

[riksavage]

Steep learning curve,

Yes totally agree.

How after a few weeks of training, the author was able to write the training manual of the Singapore Armed Forces for jungle combat, surprises me! He must have had one hell of a steep learning curve to learn best practice in such a short time!

 

[Red]

I sincerely hope the Singaporeans are not still not using the same manual today!

Nope. Was there ever a quick-fix manual? Our strategies have matured and changed over time. And as we became more confident, we evolve our own ones with input from other countries' experiences.

I think that was a long time ago; even if that is true. My grandfather could`nt remember it as well; though he can`t remember much at his age. He hates the `Mexicans' though. Snooty lot...but with good reasons to be so or so he says.