Block by Block: The Challenges of Urban Operations

by William G. Robertson

It is axiomatic in the military community that operations in an urban
environment should be avoided if at all possible, given the costs
they exact in time, personnel, casualties, and materiel. Yet, throughout
history, cities have continuously been at the center of a variety of
military undertakings: sieges, street fighting, coups de main, peacekeeping
and peace enforcement, stability operations and support operations,
and disaster and humanitarian relief. Moreover, this trend
continues through the recent past and up to the present as headlines
concerning Beirut, Sarajevo, Mogadishu, Grozny, Kabul, and Baghdad
indicate.

858 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2003

Reviews

[Cheng Jun · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid collection of case studies of urban operations. Covers a wide range of urban operations: traditional battles like Stalingrad and Aachen, asymmetric battles like Grozny and the Montoneros, coups like Panama City and Kabul, and non-military operations like disaster relief for Hurricane Andrew.

This book covers many of the complexities and considerations that go into fighting within and around a city. If you are looking for details at the company level and below for urban operations, this is NOT the book for you. However, if you want the bigger picture, this book is a great collection of case studies.

[Luca Pass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent study and argument. This work is both packed with information and interesting to read.