Combat In The Jungle AUTHOR LtCol. Nicasio Roman, Mexican Marine Corps CSC 1985 SUBJECT AREA Warfighting COMBAT IN THE JUNGLE. INTRODUCTION. Some time ago, in Africa, a Veteran jungle soldier revealed a principal of jungle warfare that merits an appearance in the introduction of every manual of the jungle combat: Who sees to the jungle as an enemy, finishes defeated for it. Who sees it as an allied, survives and conquers.It is possible that in this phrase is the clue, the operative ABC for success in this kind of scenario. From the "Chinditas" of Wingate, and the Maraunders, of Merril, in the distance times of the war of Burma, up to the operations that now take place in Latin America, Africa or Asia, passing by those whocarried out, formerly, the British Troops in Malasia or the French or Northamerican special forces in Indochina, Those who lived the combat in such extreme situations share in the same view the jungle is neutral; it does not have either friends nor enemies, it marries nobody. It benefits or damages one band as well as the other, offering the opposors identical posibi- lities, and identical dangers. Because of this, only the best trained can live in it; he who is most capable of adapting himself best to its surroundings, making the best of it and evenoccasionally, converting it into a weapon to use againt his rival. Modern Schools of war and survival in the jungle , and among them, put particular emphasis to this aspect. A man who is technically trained, physic and phychologically has a better chance of survival; a man without the proper training ends up being devoured by the hostile environment. We can take as an example a region such as the amazonia, that represents the 3/5 parts of the Brazilian territory, and that on it's most part is covered by thick jungle: 1/3 of the natural woods of the planet are there, and the rivers that cross it pour out in the sea, the fifth part of the masses of potable water of the earth. It deals with courses of water covered with humus, that have created around it,an intricate world of Igapos -flooded woods-,Igarapes -narrow channels among islands-, and swamps where, frequently, the only means of transportation is by canoe or by fluvial craft. All this water was the cause of an exuberant vegetation that has a botanic variety superrior to the thousand different species of trees and plants. In it develops one of the richest and more dangerous faunas of the planet: crocodiles, poisonous snakes, gigantic boas, spiders and thousands ofinsects and parasites that are in the water, in the vegetation and also in the air. A panorama that one must add is a humidity higher to 95% in some zones,a suffocating sticky and maddening heat. That is the scenario where sometimes, a military force - must carry out combat missions in spite of the very hard limitations imposed to human life in that green hell. It is evident that only in units highly trained, inured, can move throughout such a land, support long and draining marches for the vegetation, to ford courses of water, to ignore sudden changes of climate and of surrounding fauna,and nevertheless continue to be at the time of action an operativesatisfactory force. THE TERRAIN. In order to establish the tactical and human aspects of the combat in tropical jungle, first it is necessary to determine the active and passive difficulties that the setting establishes. The Terrain is characterized, as already mentioned, by an extreme humid environment that affects the equipment as well as the state of the soldier. That humid heat causes problems of physical exhaustionand also physic malfunctions such as fatigue, apathy, etc. The natural weariness produced by the climate is additionalto the exhaustion that supposely moves in a land extraordinarily luxuriant, in which it is often necessary to break through it with an ax and which the distances that may be walked by during one journey, are, often minimum. If to that we still add the frequent partial immersion -specially of the feet- in water,the constant tropical rain that seems impossble to take refuge from, plus the constant hounding of the insects, it is not difficult to infer that the morale of the combatant is seriously affected by the environment. In the jungle, the visibility is very low,or almost nit, that is when ever it is there. It can frequently fluctuate between two and ten metres, depending on the type of vegetation, be it primary or secondary, being delayed, apart fromthe trees, by the plants and bushes that grow in heights greater than men, and that creep up the trunks of the trees, sometimes forming impenetrable barriers. The rain and the humidity mantain the clothes constantly wet,whilebeing normal that the tree tops with and altitude that can vary from 10 to 30 metres,will form a vault of vegetation so tick that it pre vents the sun rays from passing through. In reference to the hygiene,the conditions are absolutely adverse: the dirtiness is constant, the clothes that never dry up completely feel like wet rags against the body; the most minimum scratch produces an infection, the big wounds can gangrene easily... one must continously move around an environment of organic decay that ends up extending to the body itself. The statis- tical operations in the jungle have a high level of gas trointestinal and cutaneous diseases; the damp skin ulcers with the rags rubbing against it, even with simple clothes. Also damp feet, can be a real pain. Diseases caused by the bite of the insects are many; the fever is also frquently- present. And we can not ignore the animal bites, some times poisonous, from spiders to snakes, as well as all type of parasites, that immigrate internally and externally in the human organism. With regard to this combination of facts, we must add an additional type of tension -by all means, not insignificant- that assumes the presence more or less proximate of the human enemy, it is not unusual that the combatant suffer sometimes a serious psychic crumbling, caused by the combined result of fatigue, the tension, the diseases, the lack of hygiene and fear. The extension of this conditions during long periodsof time -weeks, sometimes months- make it bearable only by specially selected and trained men to face such a challenge with success. Only this training permits men to conquer that terrible and demoralizing sensation of physical abandoning of danger, loneliness and isolation that his presence faces in the green jungle. TACTICAL ASPECTS.The tactical difficulties that the combat carries out in the jungle make the situation even worse. The scarse visibility hinders the observation and the inspection noticeably, aerially as well as terrestrial, making it necessary to resort to the constant tactic inspection through fire. The transmissions are also limited in the environment, and to that limitation, one must add the damages that the atmospheric characteristics, particularly the humidity and dirtiness, cause to the radio equipment. The problem of the dirtiness is extended, of course, to the armament because it is not always possible to find ways of maintaining it in a complete operative state. Because of the latter, it is advisable to use simple strong weapons, of a quick and easy form of scattering to pieces, utilized in extreme cases, and which cleaning wouldn't cause excessive problems to the user. Normally, the combat in the jungle takes place at a short distance, for which somebody, when leaving their weapon overthrown in crucial moments can be considered dead.A battle such as this calls for inmediate reactions and an adequate response to the material, translating to great density of fire generally with violent and brief clashes, that can occasionally continue on body to body. This discipline must therefore carefully contemplate all of the modalities of a proximal combat, including knife fights or even without the use of a weapon. It can frequently occur that the combatant remain isolated during the course of a clash, or at least psychologically isolated,without distinguishing his comrades, even if they are close by. The psychic preparation of the combatant, his ingenuity, astuteness and cold blood are essentially revealed herewith. The jungle favours the infiltration and the ambush, and this shows a distant and peculiar similarity with a street combat in urban centres of population. The combatant must be trained to detect traps as well as to install them himself. Sometimes, the jungle itself supplies the material, of which its exploitation can result in deadly effects against the enemy. With a few feet of cord, wire, and ax and sharp branches resistant to fire, it is possible to build some creative devices of fatal precision.The use of anti-personnel mines in paths and trail zones, as well as the use of hand grenades adapted to camouflaged strings , become highly profitable if they are used in an adequate form. The combat in the jungle is essentially a combat of individual arm, in which man and his wit, his training and personal qualities tend to decide the matter. The use of artillery is subject to serious restrictions, on account of the difficulties of observation,location and direction of the shooting, as well as with the grenade launcher and other type of long range heavy weapons. The struggle in this atmosphere is characterized by a quick discoordination and division of the units during the course of the combat, finding it very difficult to control the elements that are in contact on the part of superior commands. For this reason, specific instructions should be given to the troops before the action takes place, so that theformer decentralization can not be confused or obstruct the success of the objective. In this type of actions,it is inevitable to leave a margin of behaviour to personal initiative of the small units involved in the action. In the jungle, one of the most serious problems that the combatant must face is orientation.In the denseness there are no points of reference, the trees very often prevent the spotting of the sun and stars. The compass and the map are of very limited help, and on their march, the units often find themselves many miles away from their original destiny. These problems are difficult to solve, and only with a good knowledge of the terrain and a thorough study of traces, courses of water and especially the intensive training so that the men can move with ease through this hostile environment, will permit to palliate to some degree the difficulties.In any case,even for the exports,the orientation frequently states problems almost unsolvable in the jungle. It has sometimes happened that a man who was isolated from the rest of the unit, with whom they were able to communicate with aloud, would disappear forever because he was incapable of orienting himself. The prolongation of the sound is not the same in the thickness of the jungle as it would be in an open field, and it often occurs that a voice can sound in a different direction fron the place it is really coming from. LOGISTICAL COMPLICATIONS. In modern armies, the soldier that fights under normal conditions knows that, if he is injured, he has a good chance of being taken to a first-aid station in a short while, especially if the means of communication are yielding or if they count with appropiate facilities such as a helicopter. But in the jungle it is different. A sick or injured man inmediately faces a problem of infection because of the environmental unhealthy conditions. And to that we must still add the fact that his evacuation becomes very difficult. In the jungle the units tend to operate far from their basis the roads and feasible tracks for vehicles are practically non-existant, and only a perfect localization by the proper force with the existance of clearing free from enemy threats and previously determined makes the evacuation by helicopter possible under reasonable conditions. Witout doubt, the awareness of the fact that the combatant can get hurt and spend hours and even days or weeks without the necessary assistance, and all the above under precarious conditions of commodity and hygiene , evidently causes a strong psychological impact on him with a consequent loss of morale. An other difficulty that a unit operating in a jungle encounters, is the provisioning which powerfully falls upon the morale of the group. The dropping of supplies by parachutes is not very effective in a jungle, partly because it can easily fall into the hands of the enemy or in a zone attacked by fire, partly because the material spreads out or it gets destroyed between the trees.The provisioning by helicopter faces the same difficulties of those described for the recuperation of the injured and only the visiting of these determined places or the existance of deposits previously installed, permit the palliation of these difficulties. Nevertheless, when small units operate under extreme conditions, they must often supply themselves with food, and this is when all the intensive instructions take place on survival techniques. The combatant must be capable of extracting from around all of those elements necessary for subsistence with no outside help. A fishing line,a fishhook, a knife and a box of matches are enough elements for a trained man to assure his survival, in which fish, apes, and even bugs,snakes and roots of edible plants are included. A way of solving the logistical problems, besides rein- forcing the coordination of the units, consists in the establishment of a regional basis, by areas, that constitute as much command post as points of supplies for units that operate in a specific sector. When the force is not very powerful numerically, this system works out fine, especially if one resorts to the sending of helicopters of small units to different points, carrying out upon their return to the base, active patrol missions. When there are means and an existing possibility of sending reinforcements by heli- transportation to the area the action of the patrols by ways of a trap in order to secure the enemy until the arrival of reinforcements works out well. When the enemy has a powerful force, the situation tends to lead to a circle of the base with frquent disastrous results.Probably because of that the military schools seem to differ with this sistem with some of their specialists more inclined towards a decentralization that avoids a setting at one point of all the operative network with the vulnerability that such implicates. THE EQUIPMENT. The jungle is a peculiar world, and in it, the sketch of the combat under normal conditions falls into pieces. Even the samallest detail such as the thread thatgoes along the seam of a uniform can be very important because common thread in the long run can rot under the conditions of humidity in the jungle and because of the effect of perspiration. The destruction of the seam line consequently makes the use of a uniform in rags very troublesome. For the jungle the clothes of the combatant must be light and resistant, permitting the evaporation of perspiration, and of a fabric that can dry as quick as possible. Shoes are another important aspect when the men have to spend days in the dense and humid environment. The use of leather is not recommended as well as those fabricated with the exclusive use of canvas. A mixture that can protect the foot and allow it to transpire is recommended. Combinations of canvas and rubber or canvas and a special type of leather can be effective. In the jungle, the use of a steel helmet or one that is fabricated with more updated material made to protect the head is not worth the discomfort that it causes.Nevertheless, a jungle hat that is made out of canvas with openings that permit transpiration, that protects from the sun and rain and from the falling of insects is indispensable. It must be a widebrimmed hat, but not up to a point as to convert the head garment into a nuisance because of its dimensions. Among the accesories,mosquito nets and hammocks are important, so that, when bivouacking, the combatant may remain at an adequate altitude from the ground to avoid the humidity, water in its case, animals and snakes that move at a ground level. The water-proof poncho, together with others, can be transformed into a basic tent, also of extreme utility, specially during the rainy season. An other useful accessory during the combat is a green camouflage cream for the face and hands used to disguise with in the thickness of the jungle. The sanitary equipment must be complete with particular emphasis to the individual case that each man carries with him. The pack must be light and confortable so that it will not damage the skin already extremely sensitive because of skin disease,the irritation of the humidity, perspiration and rubbing of the clothes and outfits. By all means,the equipmnt will include a canteen made out of a light and resistant material,pills to potabilize the water, alcohol pills to warm up portions. For units operating under precarious conditions and during long periods of isolation,a good provisions of vitamin and stimulants is recommendable.Specially the latter that can be extremely useful when after exhausting marches or long periods without sleep the combatant has to establish contact with the enemy under favorable physical conditions. The armament must be of easy and quick cleaning, with great power of fire and efficiency during the combat at a short distance. The ammunition supplies must be raised, because of the high consumption rate during the combat in the jungle and in the difficulties already expressed in reference to the resuppling. The hand grenades also constitute an essential auxiliary,as well as the knife.In respect to an ax, this is a vital utensil in the jungle: from the building of a cabins the making of traps, cutting wood; opening way in the thickness, the skinning of animals, as far as to attack the enemy in combat body to body. CONCLUSIONS. Of everything expressed, it is easy to infer that a combatant destined to act within that framework, under conditions such as those described, making the best of the situation and using in an efficient manner the material that he has available, he does not improvise. To forge him, an exhaustive selection is necessary followed by a tough training, that only gifted specialists can bear. Physical resistance, psychological equilibrium, and technical preparation are indispensable conditions for the combatant in the jungle. Only in possession of those factors can one survive,and defeat, which means a double victory. The victory of men over the hostile surroundings and the victory of men over himself.
