Abstract
This study compares and contrasts American participation in the Vietnam War and the Philippine-American War in order to isolate and determine what specific factors contribute towards a favorable outcome in a modern counterinsurgency campaign. I argue that the success of American counterinsurgency campaigns is determined by a combination of favorable circumstantial or contextual factors along with an appropriate set of counterinsurgency measures. In order to do so, I compare and contrast the contextual factors that affected the outcomes of both the Vietnam War and the Philippine-American War. These factors are analyzed in terms of their significance (whether negative or positive) on the campaign in question. I also explore the efficacy of various counterinsurgency efforts undertaken in both campaigns. I find that the outcome of an American counterinsurgency campaign in the modern era is determined by a few main factors. One is whether or not the United States is able to conduct a counterinsurgency campaign without being subjected to political pressures that force a change in policy or strategy. Additionally, the U.S. government and the U.S. military must be capable of and willing to adapt to the local conditions of specific insurgency.
Advisor
Sene, Ibra
Department
History
Recommended Citation
McDougal, Aaron, "Insurgencies and the United States: An Exploration of the Factors Influencing the Outcome of American Counterinsurgency Campaigns" (2015). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 6809.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/6809
Disciplines
Military History | United States History
Publication Date
2015
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type
Senior Independent Study Thesis
© Copyright 2015 Aaron McDougal