Urban Warfare Project

Retired General David Petraeus, a 37-year veteran of the U.S. Army and former CIA director, shares deep insights into urban warfare. He discusses the evolution of military strategies in densely populated areas, drawing lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan to modern conflicts like Gaza. Petraeus highlights the importance of local partnerships in counterinsurgency, using the Battle of Mosul as a case study. He also examines the complexities of counterterrorism, drawing parallels with threats from groups such as Hamas, Al Qaeda, and ISIS.

Jayson Geroux, a student of urban operations and a passionate urban warfare historian, hosts a riveting conversation with retired Lieutenant Colonel Louis DiMarco, a military history professor and author of "Concrete Hell." They dive into the historical roots of urban warfare, exploring battles from Stalingrad to Iraq. DiMarco shares insights from his urban warfare course and updates for the book's second edition, while also emphasizing the often-overlooked importance of post-conflict reconstruction and narratives in understanding military strategy.

The discussion reveals chilling insights into the October 7 attacks, emphasizing their urban warfare tactics and organized military strategy. It contrasts perspectives from Hamas operatives and Israeli civilians, painting a complex picture of the chaos. Field research in Southern Israel uncovers deep socio-political dynamics and poignant local stories. The bravery of civilians and counterterrorism officers emerges as heroic narratives amid tragedy. Overall, the conversation explores resilience in the face of unspeakable horror and its lasting implications.

In this episode, John Spencer is joined by retired Colonel Kevin Felix. He served 30 years in the US Army, with his last assignment as chief of Army Capabilities and Integration Center's Future Warfare Division. He describes the Army’s different approaches for thinking about and studying the future of warfare, including major efforts beginning in 2014 to focus on global urbanization, including by incorporating it into wargames like Unified Quest. The discussion highlights the complex challenge of predicting the future, developing warfighting concepts informed by those predictions, and ultimately making decisions about what the future of warfare will require of the US Army.

During the 2022 Battle of Mariupol, approximately three thousand Ukrainian defenders, vastly outnumbered by Russian forces, were quickly surrounded in a steel plant with their backs to the Sea of Azov and little hope of anyone coming to their rescue. Running out of ammunition, short of medicine, and with casualties mounting, they were in desperate need of resupply. A bold plan was conceived, which would involve risky helicopter flights to the besieged defenders. In this episode, John Spencer is joined by retired Colonel Liam Collins. Together, they discuss their research in Ukraine and what they learned about these resupply operations during the battle.

Dive into the complexities of urban warfare, exploring how city layouts influence military tactics. Discover the critical role of foundational knowledge for military planners in navigating urban environments. Learn about different street patterns and building materials, and their impact on combat strategies. This insightful discussion reveals how understanding these urban elements is crucial for effective operations in increasingly conflict-prone city landscapes.

When Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February, one of their first targets was the city of Mariupol. The battle that followed is an epic story of resistance in which a very small number of Ukrainian fighters defended the city for over eighty days against a Russian force five to eight times their size, preventing the Russians from diverting to other parts of Ukraine. In this episode, John Spencer is joined by Aiden Aslin, a British citizen who took part in that battle and was captured by Russian forces there in April 2022. His experiences offers a unique view of how the Battle of Mariupol unfolded, and the details of his captivity as a Russian prison of war for over five months offer a glimpse into an often unseen aspect of the war.

Iraq, Syria, Nagorno-Karbakh, Ukraine, and now Israel. The past year has seen no shortage of urban warfare. In this holiday-themed episode of the Urban Warfare project, Colonel (CA) John Spencer is joined by two urban warfare scholars to talk about the unique capabilities, ideas, and initiatives they hope Santa will bring. Major Jayson Geroux is a member of the First Canadian Division Headquarters and Mr. Stuart Lyle is the urban operations research lead for the UK-based Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. From urban operations training and education to unique equipment designed specifically for the challenges of urban environments, the discussion highlights what is necessary for militaries to improve their preparedness for urban warfare.

In this episode Dr. Charles Knight joings John Spencer to discuss the Battle of Marawi. A senior lecturer in terrorism, asymmetric conflict, and urban operations at Charles Sturt University and a senior researcher at the University of New South Wales, Dr. Knight has researched and and written about the 2017 battle, in which the Philippine Army fought against Islamic State fighters over the course of five months. With the two sides fighting through the streets, alleys, and buildings of Marawi, it was one of the biggest and most high-intensity urban battles of the modern era.

General Charles Dunlap, a retired major general and law expert at Duke Law, dives deep into the complexities of the laws of war with a focus on urban combat. He discusses what can be legitimately targeted and what constitutes a war crime, particularly in densely populated areas like Gaza. The conversation highlights the balance between military objectives and civilian protections, emphasizing the evolving challenges in modern warfare. Dunlap also touches on the moral implications of military actions and the critical role of legal guidance for commanders.