The Small Wars Manual and Military Operations Other Than War.

This study examines the applicability of the United States Marine Corps small wars doctrine in current Military Operations Other Than War. Between 1898 and 1934, the Marine Corps was employed extensively in fighting the nations small wars. These small wars included long-term occupations in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua and interventions in a number of other countries. From these experiences, the Marine Corps developed, during the 1920s and 1930s, a small wars doctrine, which was published in 1940 in its final form as the Small Wars Manual. This study examines the conditions under which the Marine Corps was employed in small wars, and how from this experience developed a doctrine for fighting small wars. The study then develops three thematic criteria for the examination of a small war, and, then, applies these criteria to a case study of Operation Uphold Democracy, the 1994 intervention in Haiti. The principle conclusion of this study is that the Small Wars Manual defines a time-proven formula for the conduct of small wars or Military Operations Other Than War. When read within the context of the small wars era, the Small Wars Manual provides valuable insights into these types of operations.