Member Login Become a Member

Journal Way-Back Issues

Small Wars Journal is a professional journal for free distribution, subject to our terms of use.  This page provides access to our oldest issues and either a little information to either help you decipher the confusion you may have in looking for these old things, or perhaps too much information to assist in creating more confusion.

Volumes 1 thru 3 (2005 – 2007) were published as SWJ Magazine volumes 1 thru 9.  They are accessible at present only as PDFs via the tangled web below.

Small Wars Journal volume 4 (2008) and later are accessed in our current system through our archives here

SWJ Magazine

From 2008 onward, we have pretty consistently been using a volume and issue numbering scheme based on year and month of publishing.  January, 2011, for example, is Vol 7, No. 1 and October, 2009 is Vol 5, No. 10.  This mapping fabricates some backwards compatibility, pending the migration of our old content to our new system.

 

SWJ Magazine

 

Journal Equivalent

Year

Volume – Month

 

Vol

No.

2005

1 – April

 

1

1

 

2 – July

 

 

2

 

3 – Oct

 

 

3

2006

4 – Feb

 

2

1

 

5 – July

 

 

2

 

6 – Oct

 

 

3

2007

7 – Feb

 

3

1

 

8 – May

 

 

2

 

9 – Sep

 

 

3

 

Volume 9

Sept 2007

AKA Vol 3, No. 3

Download the complete magazine

Articles

     Discuss at SWC

The Political Officer as Counter-Insurgent

Conducting Tactical Politics Against Insurgencies

by Dan Green

 

     Discuss at SWC

America's Cultural First Battles:

Understanding the Influence of Culture on War

by LTC Thomas P. Odom, US Army (ret.)

 

     Discuss at SWC

Understanding Iran’s Motivations in Iraq

The Cost Calculus of External Support

by Ryan Carr

 

     Discuss at SWC

Organizing for Counterinsurgency

at the Company and Platoon Level

by Captain Jeremy Gwinn, US Army

 

     Discuss at SWC

Regaining Momentum in Stability Operations

by Maj Karl C. Rohr, USMC

 

 

 

Volume 8

May 2007

AKA Vol 3, No. 2

Download the complete magazine

Articles

     Discuss at SWC

Advising Indigenous Forces

co-published with Center for Army Lessons Learned

by CPT Ryan T. Kranc

 

     Discuss at SWC

Building Indigenous Security Forces That Reflect the Realities of METT-TC

co-published with Center for Army Lessons Learned

by MAJ Rob Thornton

 

     Discuss at SWC

Conflict Prevention and the Evolution of the National Security Strategy: 1991 and 2006

by Dr. David A. Anderson and Major Elisabeth P. Stringer

 

     Discuss at SWC

Iraq & the Americas:  3 GEN Gang Lessons and Prospects

by Robert J. Bunker and John P. Sullivan

 

     Discuss at SWC

Progressive Reconstruction

Melding Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare with Nation Building – Stability Operations

by Maj Karl C. Rohr

 

     Discuss at SWC

Reconsidering "Why Dr. Johnny Won't Go to War"

Ed note – a letter to the editor re an article in volume 7.  See also the SWC thread for a re-reconsideration.

by Hugh Gusterson and David H. Price

 

     Discuss at SWC

Al-Qa'ida as Raid-Base:  Technique from the Past?

by John W. Jandora

 

     Discuss at SWC

A Lesson From Rwanda

Civilian Casualties in Counter Insurgency

by LTC Thomas P. Odom, US Army (ret.)

 

     Discuss at SWC

You've Got Hate:  Web Based Terror

co-published with Center for Army Lessons Learned

by Captain Matthew Orris

 

     Discuss at SWC

Viral Targeting of the IED Social Network System

by Scott Swanson

 

 

 

Volume 7

Feb 2007

 

AKA Vol 3, No. 1

Download the complete magazine

Articles

Stability and Reconstruction Operations

Connecting the Dots between Military and Civilian Efforts

by Dr. Jack D. Kem

 

Why Dr. Johnny Won't Go to War

Anthropology and the Global War on Terror

by Marc W.D. Tyrrell, Ph.D.

 

Naval Unconventional Warfare

Supporting GWOT on the Cheap

by Chris Rawley

 

Heavy Armour in Small Wars and Insurgencies

by G. Gabriel Serbu

 

The Power of Political Mobilization

by Erik Evans

 

 

 

Volume 6

Oct 2006

 

AKA Vol 2, No. 3

Download the complete magazine

Articles

Small Wars: Civil-Military Relations

by Maj Carlos Vallejo, USMC

 

Small Wars Project: Disarming the Local Population

by Mr. Arthur Lewis Speyer III

 

Counterinsurgency in the Battle of Casbah

A Reassessment for the New Millenium and Its New Wars

by Anton Menning

 

An Introduction to the Tactics and Techniques of Small Wars

Search MCA Archives

by Maj Harold H. Utley, USMC

reprinted from Marine Corps Gazette

May 1931

 

Politics, War, and Genocide in Rwanda 10 Years Later

by LTC Thomas P. Odom, USA (ret.)

 

Why Small Wars Theory Still Matters

The Extension of the Principles on Irregular Warfare and Non-Traditional Missions of the Small Wars Manual to the Contemporary Battlespace

by Maj Keith F. Kopets, USMC

 

The Marine Corps’ Small Wars Manual and Colonel C.E. Callwell’s Small Wars

Relevant to the Twenty-First Century or Irrelevant Anachronisms?

by Maj John P. Sullivan Jr., USMC

 

 

Volume 5

July 2006

 

AKA Vol 2, No. 2

Download the complete magazine

Articles

Guerrillas From the Mist: A Defense Attaché Watches the Rwandan Patriotic Front Transform from Insurgent to Counter Insurgent

by LTC Thomas P. Odom, US Army (ret.)

 

Lessons from Iraq: Invasion and Occupation

by Maj M W Shervington, British Army

 

Mao in Mufti?: Insurgency Theory and the Islamic World

by Dr. John W. Jandora

 

Cops, Spies, and Commandos: The Legal Quagmire that is the Global War on Terror

by Capt Matthew Collins, USMC

 

The Cost of Expediency in Counterinsurgency Operations

by MAJ John C. Davis, US Army

 

Meeting the Irregular Warfare Challenge: Developing an Interdisciplinary Approach to Asymmetrical Warfare

by LTC Patrick James Christian, US Army

 

Counterinsurgency: “A Realistic Appreciation”

    by Capt Robert B. Asprey, USMC

reprinted from Marine Corps Gazette

January, 1963

 

 

Volume 4

February 2006

 

AKA Vol 2, No. 1

Download the complete magazine

(1M PDF File)

Note: PDF updated 3/18/06 for minor format fixes,

Che's birthday, etc.  If you got it before then,

consider downloading the sleek new one.

Articles

A Hundred Years of Irregular Warfare

by Maj M. W. Shervington PARA

 

The Political Warfighter

by Mr. Erik Evans

 

Are More Troops Needed in Iraq?

by Carlos L. Yordan, Ph.D.

 

4th Generation Warfare

by Capt John W. Bellflower, Jr., USAF

 

‘We’ve Done This Before’

by LTC Brent C. Bankus (Cavalry, AUS, Ret.)

 

The Necessity for Psychological Operations Support to Special Operations Forces during Unconventional Warfare

by MAJ Gregory J. Reck, USA

 

An Afternoon with Bernard Fall

    by LtCol W. G. Leftwich

reprinted from Marine Corps Gazette

February, 1969

 

About Small Wars Journal

 

 

Volume 3

October 2005

 

AKA Vol 1, No. 3

Download the complete magazine

(1.3M PDF File)

Articles

The Myth of the Sunni “Diehard”

Mr. Patrick Devenny

 

Book Excerpt: No True Glory

Chapter 27 – The House from Hell

Mr. Bing West

 

Clausewitz and Summers on Vietnam:

A Contemporary Analysis of On Strategy

Capt Matthew Collins, USMC

 

Timeless Theories of War in the 21st Century

COL David S. Maxwell, USA

 

Book Excerpt: Journey Into Darkness

Chapter 5 – Operation Support Hope

LTC Tom Odom, USA (Ret.)

 

Comic Book Warning: An Unlikely Insight into Warfare’s 5th Generation

Mr. Myke Cole

 

 

Volume 2

July 2005

 

AKA Vol 1, No. 2

Download the complete magazine

(731K PDF File)

Articles

The Joint Interagency Coordination Group: The Operationalization of DIME

Lieutenant Colonel Harold Van Opdorp

 

Reinventing the Counterinsurgency Wheel

Major Adam Strickland

 

Law of Occupation and Democracy

Lieutenant Commander James Kraska

 

The Rule of Law and Expeditionary Operations

Major Karl Rohr

 

Preparing for Joint Urban Operations: The Role of Simulations and the Urban Resolve Experiment

Dr. Peter Wielhouwer

 

Can the ‘War on Terror’ be Won?

Mr. Anthony Cormack

 

Economics and Terrorism

Mr. Shawn O'Connell

 

Child Soldiers:  Warriors of Despair.

Review: Peter Singer's Children at War

Mr. John Sullivan

Other Features

Small Wars 'Quicklook' Book Reviews

Small Wars Events Calendar

 

 

Volume 1

April 2005

 

AKA Vol 1, No. 1

Download the complete magazine

(382K PDF File)

Articles

Why Study Small Wars?

Colonel TX Hammes

 

How Do We Fight a War of Ideas?

Colonel David Maxwell

 

Terrorism in Cities: A Target Rich Environment

Dr. Russell Glenn

 

WW II vs. the Global War on Terrorism: Finding the Enemy Center of Gravity

Major Andrew Harvey, Mr. Stan Kluth

& Mr. Ian Sullivan

 

Psychological Operations in Haiti

Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Arata

 

Short Notice Mission: 1999 Sarajevo Balkans Summit

Mr. Thomas Greco

 

Revisiting Old Ideas: The Combined Action Program

Major Adam Strickland

 

Other Features

Small Wars Research 'Quicklook' Website Reviews

Small Wars Book Reviews

Small Wars Events Calendar