Michael Gustafson National Defence University Department of Tactics and Operational Art Series 1, No. 3/2014 The Duality of T actical Thought The Duality of Tactical Thought A Study of how Swedish Land Forces’ Commanders view Tactics in Irregular Warfare Michael Gustafson Series 1, No. 3/2014 National Defence University Tel. +358 299 800 ISBN 978-951-25-2604-8 (pbk.) Department of Tactics and Operational Art www.mpkk.fi ISBN 978-951-25-2605-5 (pdf) P.O. BOX 7, FI-00861 Helsinki Finland NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF TACTICS AND OPERATIONAL ART SERIES 1: N0 3/2014 MAANPUOLUSTUSKORKEAKOULU TAKTIIKAN LAITOS JULKAISUSARJA 1: NO 3/2014 The Duality of Tactical Thought A Study of how Swedish Land Forces’ Commanders view Tactics in Irregular Warfare Captain (N) Michael Gustafson NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF TACTICS AND OPERATIONAL ART HELSINKI 2014 The Duality of Tactical Thought Maanpuolustuskorkeakoulu, Taktiikan laitos Julkaisusarja 1: No 3/2014 Väitöskirja / National Defence University, Department of Tactics and Operational Art Series 1: No 3/2014 Doctoral dissertation Author: Captain (N) Michael Gustafson Supervising professor: Professor, Col Pasi Kesseli National Defence University, Finland Preliminary examiners: Doctor of Philosophy Håkan Gunneriusson, Swedish National Defence College, Stockholm Doctor of Philosophy (Education) Vesa Nissinen, Finnish Defence Forces Official opponent: Professor Torsten Björkman Swedish National Defence College, Stockholm To download our latest publications in PDF format, please visit National Defence University web site http://www.mpkk.fi and Publication Archive Doria http://www.doria.fi/handle/10024/72633 ISBN 978-951-25-2604-8 (pbk.) ISBN 978-951-25-2605-5 (PDF) ISSN 1238-2744 Maanpuolustuskorkeakoulu – National Defence University Taktiikan laitos – Department of Tactics and Operational Art Juvenes Print Tampere 2014 To General Sir Frank Kitson TACTICAL THOUGHT 2014 September 29th Abstract This is a sociological study of the views of officers in the Swedish Army and its Amphibious Forces on tactics in Irregular Warfare (IW), in particular, Counterinsurgency (COIN). IW comprises struggles, where the military weaker part uses an indirect approach with smaller units and integrates the civilian and military dimensions in a violence spectrum including subversion, terrorism, Guerrilla Warfare and infantry actions. IW is the main armed warfare style in insurgencies. COIN is the combined political, military, economic, social and legal actions in counter insurgencies. Data has been collected by means of interviews with almost all (n =43) officers, who were either commanding battalions or rifle and manoeuvre companies while undergoing training for general warfare and international operations. The main theoretical and methodological inspiration is the traditional one for research on social fields, inaugurated by the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. The statistical technique used is Multiple Correspondence Analysis. As a background and context base, an inquiry inspired by the Begriffsgechichte (Conceptual History) tradition explores the genesis and development of understandings of the term Irregular Warfare. The research question is outlined as; “how can contemporary Swedish military thought on tactics in Irregular Warfare be characterized using descriptive patterns, mapped in relation to background factors and normative standards? The most significant findings are that there are two main opposing notions separating the officers’ views on tactics in Irregular Warfare: (1) a focus on larger, combat oriented and collectively operating military units versus smaller and larger, more intelligence oriented and dispersed operating units, and (2) a focus on military tasks and kinetic effects versus military and civilian tasks as well as “soft” effects. The distribution of these views can be presented as a two-dimensional space structured by the two axes. This space represents four categories of tactics, partly diverging from normative military standards for Counterinsurgency. This social space of standpoints shows different structural tendencies for background factors of social and cultural character, particularly dominant concerning military backgrounds, international mission experiences and civilian education. Compared to military standards for Counterinsurgency, the two tactical types characterized by a Regular Warfare mind-set stands out as counter-normative. Signs of creative thought on military practice and theory, as well as a still persistent Regular Warfare doxa are apparent. Power struggles might thus develop, effecting the transformation to a broadened warfare culture with an enhanced focus also on Irregular Warfare. The result does not support research results arguing for a convergence of military thought in the European transformation of Armed Forces. The main argument goes beyond tactics and suggests sociological analysis on reciprocal effects regarding strategy, operational art, tactics as well as leadership, concerning the mind-set and preferences for Regular, Irregular and Hybrid Warfare. Keywords: Bourdieu, military thought, tactics, Irregular Warfare, Multiple Correspondence Analysis, field theory, sociology, War Studies. i TACTICAL THOUGHT 2014 September 29th Acknowledgements To Henriette, Veronica, mum and dad, - this work is for you. To Nils-Marius and Tommy, who encouraged and believed in me beyond my own recognition. All of you have acknowledged the purpose of unremitting hard work in life and gave me endless support along the way. I am deeply grateful to the Swedish National Defence College for allowing me to study and to the Finnish National Defence University for the opportunity of joining the doctoral programme. Researching tactical thought within the Swedish Armed Forces, while in the midst of a European transformation of military affairs has been most challenging and educational. Tactics lies at the core of the military profession not only as a practice but also as theory. Discussing perspectives and indeed the multiple standpoints on this topic in seminars with fellow Nordic officers and members of the academia has been a pleasure and a gift to treasure. However, the field of tactics still generates rather a low interest within the subject of War Studies at the Swedish National Defence College; even the theories inspired by Pierre Bourdieu are not well-known areas of study. Moreover, my research during the years has been a yogic experience. Concurrently, while pursuing this academic work with its rules and doxa, I undertook training to become a Kundalini yoga teacher. Yoga means “unite” and during the process, I developed intellectual and personal philosophical perspectives and methods for viewing and living life far beyond my earlier understandings. Life has repeatedly and painfully changed, completely beyond my control; I am today not the person I was when I started this work. Now that my work is complete, I would especially like to thank my supervisor Pasi Kesseli, colonel and professor, for trust, guidance and colleagueship. To my supervisor in theory and methodology, Donald Broady, professor emeritus at the Department of Sociology, director of the research unit SEC (Sociology of Education and Culture) at Uppsala University; I extend my sincere appreciation for all good support. I would like to direct a very special thanks to General Sir Frank Kitson for inspiration and invaluable correspondence. I am very grateful for the encouraging support from my assistant supervisor Anders Palmgren, lieutenant commander and Ph.D. I am also indebted to the pre-examiners, docent Vesa Nissinen and doctor Håkan Gunneriusson, for giving me important verdicts. I would like to thank professor Jim Nyce at Ball State University and professor Gerry Larsson at the Swedish National Defence College for constructive feed-back during all the work. Special thanks go to my colleagues in the Department of Military Studies, Swedish National Defence College for their support. I am grateful to Ingrida Leimanis for valuable assistance regarding language and to Dilek Thulinsson for the help with text formations. A sincere thanks goes to the colleagues at SEC, Uppsala University, in particular Mikael Börjesson, Tobias Dalberg and Håkan Forsberg, for their support in Multiple Correspondence Analysis work. Finally, I thank doctor Yogi Bhajan for provoking, inspiring and uplifting my view of life and living life; keeping up, no matter what hardship experienced. Michael Gustafson Stockholm 29 October 2014 ii TACTICAL THOUGHT 2014 September 29th CONTENT 1 Point of departure for the study ................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction to the chapter 1 1.2 Introduction, aim and summary of the research work 1 1.3 Background to the research focus 4 1.4 The research situation 7 1.5 The problem and research question 16 1.6 The research design 17 1.7 Demarcations 19 1.8 Disposition 20 2 Theory, methodology and empirical material ..................................................................... 21 2.1 Introduction to the chapter 21 2.2 Theoretical perspectives 21 2.3 Standpoints and background factors viewed with an approach to field and capital concepts 29 2.4 Methodology 34 2.5 Empirical material and sources; an overview 37 3 How can so-called Irregular Warfare be understood? ...................................................... 41 3.1 Introduction to the chapter 41 3.2 Background and questions 41 3.3 Background regarding