Title:
Mercenaries in asymmetric conflicts
Author:
Fitzsimmons, Scott, 1980-
ISBN:
9781107026919
Personal Author:
Publication Information:
Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2013.
Physical Description:
ix, 332 p. ; 24 cm.
Contents:
Machine generated contents note: Theories and Concepts -- Methodology -- Organization of the Book -- 1.The Normative Theory of Military Performance -- Theoretical Foundations: Constructivism -- The Core Logic of the Normative Theory of Military Performance -- Hypotheses and Predictions of the Normative Theory of Military Performance -- Conclusion: Assessing the Theory's Predictions -- 2.Neorealist Combat Balance Theory -- Core Assumptions of Neorealist Combat Balance Theory -- Hypotheses and Predictions of Neorealist Combat Balance Theory -- Conclusion: Assessing the Theory's Predictions -- 3.5 Commando Puts Down the Simba Rebellion -- Historical Background on the Simba Rebellion -- The Normative Theory of Military Performance -- Neorealist Combat Balance Theory -- Conclusion -- 4.Callan's Mercenaries Are Defeated in Northern Angola -- Historical Background on the Angolan Civil War -- The Normative Theory of Military Performance -- Neorealist Combat Balance Theory --
Contents note continued: Conclusion -- 5.Executive Outcomes Defeats UNITA -- Historical Background on the Angolan Civil War -- The Normative Theory of Military Performance -- Neorealist Combat Balance Theory -- Conclusion -- 6.The White Legion Abandons Zaire -- Historical Background on the First Congo War -- The Normative Theory of Military Performance -- Neorealist Combat Balance Theory -- Conclusion -- 7.Summary of Findings and Implications -- The Normative Theory of Military Performance -- Neorealist Combat Balance Theory -- Implications for Scholarship on International Politics and Military Performance -- Implications for the Use and Development of Military Forces.
Abstract:
"In Mercenaries in Asymmetric Conflicts, Scott Fitzsimmons argues that small mercenary groups must maintain a superior military culture to successfully engage and defeat more numerous and better-equipped opponents. By developing and applying competing constructivist and neorealist theories of military performance to four asymmetric wars in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo, he demonstrates how mercenary groups that strongly emphasize behavioral norms encouraging their personnel to think creatively, make decisions on their own, take personal initiative, communicate accurate information within the group, enhance their technical proficiency, and develop a sense of loyalty to their fellow fighters will exhibit vastly superior tactical capabilities than other mercenary groups. Fitzsimmons also demonstrates that although the victorious mercenary groups occasionally had access to weapon systems unavailable to their opponents, the balance of material capabilities fielded by the opposing military forces had far less influence on the outcome of these asymmetric conflicts than the culturally determined tactical behavior exhibited by their personnel"--
Subject Term:
Copies: