Ineffective Military Operations

Six raids were conducted during the interval prior using similar tactics and patterns of maneuver. Minimal changes were made to the plan of operations from raid to raid. One of the drawbacks to performing several very similar operations was that Aideed’s forces used the intelligence collected during these raids to better prepare for a fight with the Ranger element. With each progressive raids, Aideed’s forces had identified the use of low circling helicopters and the lack of armored vehicles as the weaknesses of Joint Task Force Ranger. It became clear the week prior to the Battle of Mogadishu that Somalis were capable of shooting down helicopters with RPGS. MG Garrison added rockets to Blackhawks for added firepower. However, he but did not postpone operations while armor or heavier gunships were requested. He also failed to modify raid plans to keep helicopters out of the firing range of

The Army is a sustainment force with the ability to occupy a region for extended periods. It takes

All of the units responsible for supplying the items needed had surrendered to an Army General by the name of General Clayton. The combat units of the Army of the Potomac seemed much more dedicated to the cause then the support units. They fought hard and kept coming back even against overwhelming firepower. As the days passed those units began running out of ammunition, once that happened they started to lay down their arms and surrender. It took a while, but eventually all of the units surrendered, after it became evident what was happening the Marines and US Army started to back off, they secured the perimeter around an opposing unit, and basically let their supplies run

Perhaps the number one event, that will cost Jimmy Carter his reelection for president was the Iranian Hostage Crisis that went on for approximately 444 days and held 52 American diplomat citizens hostage in Iran. Several Iranian students, stormed the American embassy on November 4, 1979. This had all occurred because the former, exiled, Shah of Iran had been permitted entry into the United States to receive medical treatment for cancer. In the 1950’s the Shah of Iran was appointed by the United States. He was a dictator, who ruled with violence and cruelty. The people of Iran, are traditionally Shiite Muslims and the Shah was taking Iran towards a more progressive society. This further upset the people of Iran who did not want their conservative

In theory, utilizing helicopters could relocate their forces fast enough to keep the enemy from conversing on any one unit. On the contrary, an American Force discovering an NVA unit would fix its position while the reinforcing battalion flew in to cut off the enemy's retreat and annihilate them (E-History, 2012).

It is important to say that the HUMVEE had its own agenda and was not part of the resupply of ammo and it is also more important to the story to say that it had the map and radio. Getting to the FASP was easy, I’ve been there hundreds of times and after a certain amount of driving the closer you get to “home” the more terrain you recognize. Once at the FASP I do what I get paid to do, load up and strap down High Explosives. This is where the plot thickens. The Driver of the HUMVEE having his own agenda took one of my marines because he needed him and goes away to do whatever mission he had to do. So including myself I’m down to seven marines. After we finished loading up we stage the trucks getting ready to head out. So after a quick SITREP (review our gear and situation.) We realize that we are an A-driver down, we have no radio or map, its hours away from being dark, and the best part is we don’t even have close to enough gas to get there. These are 7-ton trucks strapped with about 16,000

The Army has two different sustainment doctrines and systems for  "contiguous" and "non-continguous" battlefield deployment scenarios.

Things started to go bad for the rescue mission when two helicopters had to turn back due to mechanical problems. The rescue required at least six helicopters that is all the team now had. Upon landing at Desert One another helicopter damaged its landing gear. The mission now had to be called off. As one of the helicopters attempted to lift off it banked towards one of the C-130s on the ground striking the plane and both burst into flames. Eight military personnel were killed in the incident. Another rescue plan was started but quickly scrapped. The picture below shows the crash. The helicopters were left behind for fear they might also kick up a dust storm and topple onto the C-130s. (9)

The combat controllers were in charge of making sure the air strip, which the MC-130s would land on, were clear and no one was on them. A passenger bus blocked the air strip, then a fuel tanker came down a road and was told to stop but did not. Then the Americans fired a light anti-tank weapon which then caught the tanker on fire causing a big mess for the Americans to clean up, but they decided to continue with the operation. After the MC-130s aircraft arrived the RH-53 helicopters, which was on route to the MC-130s, two helicopters were forced to abort due to flight instrument and mechanical problems. The third helicopter continued on with the mission. Then to make matters worse the RH-53 helicopters were faced with a desert storm, which would later cause more problem, but the helicopters finally reached there dentition at Desert

One of the main friendly defensive positions was observation post (OP) “Topside” which became the main battleground where half of U.S. casualties occurred (Steeb, 2011). Enemy fighters reached up to 10km from the OP before being fought back. Over the next nine hours, enemy forces continued to attack the platoon as distress radio requested assistance. Air support and fire support missions responded and were able to stall enemy advances. Additionally, reinforcements moved from nearby bases to augment the besieged platoon. Continued air support caused enemy forces to call off the attack and retreat. Shortly after the battle, the 173rd abandoned Wanat and future plans for the new base were canceled (Steeb, 2011).

During the mission the TFR planed the mission as if the UH-60 will not get shot down. Before this mission on 21 September 1993 during the mission that captured Osman, TFG helicopter got fired upon by roughly fifteen rockets propelled grenade (RPG). Nevertheless if that was not enough upon previous weeks an UH – 60 was shot down even though it was flying 130, rooftop level and concluded that UH – 60 was vulnerable to RPG fires. With this kind of intelligence, the TFR could have changed the tactics upon approaching the target, but they did not. This is a great example of overconfidence bias, where they believed that the helicopter would not gotten shot down. Consequently, if TFR planed where the protection of the helicopter was one of the priorities they could have prevented the crashed, which was the cause by the enemies RPGs costing American lives. In lieu of orchestrating with the intelligence the TFR did not understand the enemies’ threat and plan the mission without an alternate means of action for the UH-60. Because of this, two of the UH-60 crashed in enemy territory, making the US forces to conduct rescue mission, this cost more time, resources, and Soldiers. Only if the planners of the TFR questioned their own methods and got out of their own mindset, they could have had different actions of approach. Therefore the RPG capability from the enemy, the size of the enemy unit, and different course of action during the fight, when the UH-60 was in trouble, lack of intelligent observation was the key causes all of this chaos. All of this intelligent, only if someone just took the time to think through and analyze the information, the TFR could have transmuted the course of action for this mission and maybe preserve Soldiers'

To begin with, most soldiers experience emotional trauma by its unceasing attack during the war, and sometimes they don’t get their necessities such as: medical care, food, weapons, and clothing. And these has a huge destructive

“How does one place the Holocaust fit in the Second World War?” is a question which Christopher Browning and Arno Mayer attempt to shine light on. Not an easy task by any means. Browning in his article “A Product of Euphoria in Victory” argues it was a product of military success, as the more land Germany conquered the more Jew were under their control. Mayer in his article “Product of a War Gone Awry” argues it was a result of the German military stagnation on the Eastern Front in the USSR, as the Nazis viewed Judaism and Soviet Bolshevism as ideologically inseparable. At face value, Browning’s argument seems more convincing. However, in the context of Germany’s campaign against the Soviet Union and beyond it becomes a smaller piece of a

There’s many conflicts throughout mankind, but without the voices of the people, the world could not come to peace. The horrifying attack on the World Trade Center in 2001, New York City, United States, caused a huge outburst in American society. Many were saddened, heartbroken, and angry. However, that wasn’t the only attack. They attacked Pennsylvania, hitting the special trademark, known as the Pentagon. These attacks are what Americans call, the Act of Terrorism. On October 7, 2001, the United States launched Operation Enduring Freedom. This operation was aimed towards taking down Al-Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden, where their location was in Afghanistan. This was an American fight against terrorism. Canadians had tried to support many of these

One can only “self-sustain” for so long before requiring support from outside of oneself. This is where sustainment comes in. How do you know what you need? How do you get it? How does it get to you? Am I getting paid what I’m entitled? Will I get mail? Will there be hot chow? Am I going to be able to fill my canteen when it’s empty? These questions shouldn’t be the concern of the Soldier taking the fight to the enemy. His (or her) focus should be on their mission; fighting and winning. This is where our sustainers come in. They are our logisticians, maintainers, transporters, support, personnel, administration, finance, mail clerks, medics, and the list goes on.