Abstract/Summary

This is a study of the extent to whichnational mentalities, or 'ways of war', are responsible for 'national styles' of insurgencies and counterinsurgency. Leading scholars examine the ways of war of particular insurgent movements and the standard operational procedures of states and occupation forces to suppress them. Through case studies including British, American, French, Russian, Chinese, Portuguese, Israeli and German COIN to the IRA and the Taliban and the ongoing war in Syria, they show how 'national styles' have evolved, influenced by transnational trends, ideas and practices, and the toolkit available. The case studies examine whether we can identify patterns, e.g. a tendency to resort to a particular set of tools, and if so, whether this is dictated by constants such as geography and climate, by the available tools, or else whether there exists a particular 'strategic culture' or 'national style'. Our findings show that 'national style' is not eternal but can undergo fundamental transformations.