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.
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