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> In response to the situation, the US forces basically engaged in siege warfare. But atypical to historic examples, instead of attacking to break through forti
by lixtra 8y ago
> In response to the situation, the US forces basically engaged in siege warfare. But atypical to historic examples, instead of attacking to break through fortified wall, they imposed the siege on the enemy by building walls.
This concept is about 2000 years old. [1]
[1]
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Alesia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Alesia
- azernik 8y agoSo common there's even a word for it: circumvallation. Not just that, but it's also fairly common for the besieging army to also have to worry about an enemy field army trying to relieve the besieged area, and so have to build a contravallation - another wall facing outwards outside of the circumvallation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investment_(military) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investment_(military) The only really new and interesting part is the challenge of besieging a single neighborhood within a larger conurbation - historical examples usually include a large open space between the defender's fortifications and the circumvallation.
- lixtra 8y ago> The only really new and interesting part is the challenge of besieging a single neighborhood within a larger conurbation. Ghettos in the third reich come to mind. They were less an element of conventional warefare but definitely an element of extermination warefare. Without the ghetto the killing would have happened less orderly. Sick.
- azernik 8y agoTactically, the "element of extermination warfare" made the character of that fighting very different than what's going on in Iraq.
- arbuge 8y agoAnother famous example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Masada#Roman_siege https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Masada#Roman_siege The Romans seemed to have been particularly fond of this technique.