4 out of 4 stars
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If you’re like me you know next to nothing about any sort of Guerrilla warfare, what little exposure you had was briefly touched on in a history class too many years ago to recall what had actually been discussed. Guerrilla and Counter-Guerrilla: Theory and Practice written by Jehan Morel is a non-fiction novel that draws on the author’s first hand experience as a soldier in French Indochina and Central Africa and also his knowledge as a scholar of military science. This novel gives an incredibly in depth view of both sides of this type of warfare.
What I thought to be a dry subject that couldn’t possibly be especially complicated turned out to be completely the opposite. It’s not the pillaging of villages and leaving them to burn that my un-researched brain had believed it to be. It’s a world of intrigue, deception, psychological warfare, and even cyber-warfare. Guerrilla and Counter-Guerrilla digs deeply in the rich history of these types of warfare; thoroughly explaining where exactly it came from and how it has developed into the warfare it is today. It also gives an in depth view of the day to day life of a soldier in this type of combat, ranging from when they eat and sleep to communications and marching through the jungle. The author also thoroughly discusses the opposite views of Counter-guerrilla warfare, its ideal physical and mechanical foundations, and the ways to approach each counter attack towards the enemy.
While the novel discusses a very serious subject, the author brings some humor into his writing that definitely compliments the novel, leaving the reader with not only greater knowledge on the subject, but also a sense of enjoyment in reading the novel. Guerrilla and Counter-Guerrilla is incredibly well written and thoroughly cites all of its references; making me believe that it could possibly be used in many classroom settings in the future. Each chapter flows easily from one to the next without any lulls or stagnant ideas, explaining each section carefully so that someone who doesn’t have any knowledge of Guerrilla warfare is able to understand how it works. Also complimenting the novel are quite a few historical photos of the author’s time as a soldier and maps depicting each region that he discusses.
I had chosen to read this novel because the historical aspect of analyzing these two different types of warfare intrigued me. While I had expected it to be interesting, I figured that it was possibly a little bit dry. However, I was very pleasantly surprised to not only have learned quite a lot of Guerrilla warfare, but to have also enjoyed reading the novel. I believe that lovers of non-fiction and readers intrigued by Guerrilla warfare will completely enjoy reading this novel, and will definitely learn something in the process.
Because I enjoyed reading this novel so much, I give Guerrilla and Counter-Guerrilla a 4 out of 4 stars. It is very well written, informative, and enjoyable. I couldn’t find anything to dislike about the novel and therefore whole-heartedly recommend it.
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Guerrilla and counter-guerrilla
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