Journal Of Military History and Defence Studies

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 12:10:47 +0000

Contents page

Editorial

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 12:16:41 +0000

Editorial, JMHDS 4/1 (2024)

Fighting for a Just Cause in a War Without Fronts? Official Justifications For War and Combat Motivation in the Vietnam War

Martin Fransen — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 12:23:38 +0000

This paper explores whether the American combat soldiers fighting in the Vietnam War were motivated by the cause. The paper analyzes the soldiers´ attitudes towards the war in the years 1965-1967 and 1968-1973. By comparing these attitudes with the official justifications for the war, the paper discusses whether the soldiers were committed to the cause. The analysis is based on wartime letters by soldiers in combat and postwar interviews with veterans, and employs a grounded theory methodology to identify the different patterns of thought in the sources. Current research has generally downplayed the importance of the cause as a motivator for American soldiers in the Vietnam War. However, based on the different patterns of thought expressed by soldiers, this paper seeks to elucidate that the cause was actually an important motivator for many soldiers, particularly in the years 1965-1967, when many soldiers believed they were fighting a war against communist expansion, which had to be stopped before it reached American soil. On the other hand, after 1968, defeatism had found its way into the ranks of the military, and many soldiers no longer believed in the cause.

The Irish Civil War: a Case Study in Counterinsurgency Theory.

Joseph Gleeson — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This paper, written during the centenary of the Irish Civil War, explores some of the key theoretical aspects of counterinsurgency within the context of what was ultimately a successful campaign and explains how this campaign continues to provide lessons for the contemporary battlespace. It examines how the challenges that were faced by the Provisional Government and the National Army were overcome, which saw the military forces of the new state conduct joint and combined operations across both conventional and guerrilla warfare styles that successfully defeated the anti-Treaty forces.

This paper focusses on the themes of intelligence led operations and modern counterinsurgency theory to ascertain the effectiveness of the response of the National Army and consider if there are lessons to be learned in the modern context. In order to progress the discussion on the Civil War, there is an examination of intelligence led operations, which highlights the ethical issues caused by crossing the line of acceptable norms, such as a breakdown in military discipline and the use of torture to glean information.

The findings of this paper highlight a number of pertinent matters such as the need for a comprehensive and joint military and government approach to counterinsurgency, as well as the need for the military to continue to be able to conduct joint and combined operations across the spectrum of warfare. This is made clear from the operations conducted in the urban environment during the Civil War, which are all the more applicable when it is noted that the world’s urban population is on the increase. The key lessons from operations conducted in the rural areas is that the need to provide security and normality to the population is paramount. Throughout all of these operations, intelligence led operations remain crucial, with a focus on structures rather than the temptation to resort to less than ethical methods.

Evolving Challenges in Military Engineering. How Can Small Military Organisations Meet These Challenges?

Ronan Kavanagh — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 13:16:22 +0000

The security environment today is becoming increasingly complex. Interstate warfare has erupted in Europe for the first time in a generation, great power competition is on the rise, and instability in the developing world is growing as a result of the pressures of climate change. This paper analyses how military engineering has adapted to these threats and what future adaptation is required to meet the challenges of tomorrow. Military engineering represents a uniquely broad set of capabilities that are essential enablers of military operations. This paper takes a holistic view of these capabilities, using case studies to track how operations have affected the organisation and employment of military engineers. Examining conventional warfare from Iraq to Ukraine, peace operations from the Balkans to the Sahel, and counter-insurgency operations in Afghanistan, as well as humanitarian operations globally, it identifies the key lessons from these crises and the effect they have had on engineering capabilities.

The paper concludes by offering several methodologies for addressing capability gaps within constrained resources. Ireland is significantly out of balance with comparator nations in terms of the size of its military engineer capability and the paper highlights several doctrinal developments that should be considered as Ireland builds its next force model. While it may be possible to prioritise or relegate some capabilities, doing so should be done with the full acceptance of the risks in terms of overall defence capability, as well as the risk to our deployed soldiers and those we protect.

How can the Defence Forces enhance brand equity through a digital marketing strategy that leverages association with its academic partners?

Rose-Anna White — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 13:23:39 +0000

The field of marketing has seen an evolution in the way brands communicate with consumers, how consumers communicate with brands and how consumers communicate with one another (Rogers, 2021). The Defence Forces is poised to adopt a digital culture through digital transformation, innovation, and technology, affording countless opportunities to enhance its brand and support recruitment. This paper focuses on the wider educational benefits associated with the organisation and examines how the Defence Forces can enhance brand equity through a digital marketing strategy that leverages association with its academic partners. The article examines the literature of prominent scholars and experts in the marketing field, led by Kotler and Keller’s Strategic Brand Management theoretical framework (2012) and supported by current digital marketing trends and insights, resulting in several thought-provoking findings.

This paper identifies that the alternative pathway to third-level education offered through a career in the Defence Forces is not widely associated and identified with the Defence Forces brand, along with its partnerships with third-level academic institutions in Ireland. Interestingly, seventy per cent of the survey respondents indicated that they were unaware of the transition year work experience programme occasionally held by the Defence Forces. Post-primary schools would welcome more information with some students missing this valuable opportunity due to a lack of awareness. Research further indicated that the Defence Forces digital presence on social media platforms has limited penetration amongst post-primary schools in Ireland. Based on the findings from the analysed data and literature, this paper suggests several digital marketing practices for the Defence Forces to expand its digital presence through a comprehensive omnichannel approach, thereby enhancing its brand equity and supporting recruitment.

Neutral, Neutered or Pacifist? Can Ireland’s Model of Neutrality Remain Aligned With its Foreign Policy Ambitions Amidst the Re-Emergence of Conflict in Europe.

Gerard Hynes — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 13:28:36 +0000

The subject of neutrality has seen a resurgence, both in Ireland and in a wider European context owing to Russia’s 24^th of February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, its second violation of Ukrainian sovereignty after its 2014 annexation of Crimea. With the Taoiseach having stated that “neutrality is a policy issue that can change at any time” (Leahy & Gallagher, 2022) and stating in Washington that “we are not politically neutral, we’re not morally neutral and as the world changes, our position has to evolve with that change” (Martin, 2022), debate has emerged again on Ireland’s policy of neutrality.

Seeking to answer whether Ireland’s model of neutrality can remain aligned with its foreign policy ambitions, this paper analyses proponent and opponent views on neutrality and explores a gap in the literature on the concept of pacifism and Irish Neutrality, where questions are being asked nationally, and internationally, of the credibility of Irish Neutrality amidst the re-emergence of war in Europe.

This paper finds that Ireland’s policy of military neutrality does not align with accepted concepts of neutrality reflected in literature on the topic. The paper finds Irish Neutrality is better described as military non-alignment which is labelled “neutrality”. Lacking a national security strategy to direct how Ireland will protect her interests, such a strategy could include non-alignment, however, permanent neutrality, armed or unarmed, would not align with Ireland’s foreign policy ambitions.

Militaries, Gender and Peacekeeping: an Identity Perspective.

Angela McGinn — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 13:33:27 +0000

This paper explores the relationship between military identity, gender and peacekeeping. Drawn from a wider study on military peacekeeping identity, it considers how extant research, positioned within an interpretive narrative framework, can be used to examine the process through which women and men construct professional military identities. This perspective is largely underrepresented in military research, with previous studies confined to exploring the utility of identity - how it can be manufactured, regulated and aligned with military values. The paper stresses the need for research that emphasises the subjective practices and consequences of gendered identity work within military organisations.

Author Biographies

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Author biographies / notes on contributors