Back in the day, as an infantry officer, some part of my military training and education was spent in mastering mine warfare: Planning, siting, laying, arming, breaching, lifting and disposing of anti personnel and anti vehicle/armour mines. I knew of the etymological connection of the word - mine to subterranean mining, but not its earliest origins military origins. One aspect of mining, more akin to mining for ore, was to sink shafts and tunnels under curtain walls, keeping pit props underneath the wall to support the wall, and then set fire to the pit props to cause the wall to fall and thereby create a breach in the wall. This a well known method of offensive mining to overcome a siege defence. A different, but much less known method of mining was used by the Romans, as a defensive measure in siege craft. The defenders would dig a trench, and fill it with large empty clay pots. The trenched pots were then covered with dirt to grade level. The pots were capable of taking the weight of soldiers, but would collapse under the weight of siege engines, which would cause them to topple and be trapped in the trench line. Pottery (explosive filled ceramic cases) mines were in military use as recently as WW2 Pottery Mine type 3, model A anti-tank/ anti-personnel mine (MUN 180) With little metallic signature, they were not so easy to detect with electronic mine sweepers. The History of Landmines
Modern land mines are the most effective means ever devised to prevent entry into an area. The major problem lies in their effectiveness, they prevent your entry as well as that of the enemy and they endure, some civil war era ones still work. The left hates them with a vengeance and has tried to get them outlawed worldwide. A separate or subclass, now called IED's, claymores, etc, and car bombs, have totally revolutionized modern low intensity warfare. If you don't think they are effective, try going to an airport with a pair of laced up shoes, a pocket knife, or any of 100 other items. One idiot failed in an attempt to destroy an aircraft and we will all suffer for the foreseeable future because of it. A simple effective border wall could be built using 2 chain link fences, about 50 feet apart and many land mines between, the Russians and Chinese have proved that is effective, but we will not use the idea as it is somehow inhumane killing people that either disobey the law or are to stupid to realize that crawling over a 10 foot high fence with all kinds of warning signs may not be a good idea.
Landmines are a double edged sword, as apt to injure and kill 'friendlies', as enemies. A lot of Australian mine casualties during the Vietnam War were caused by mines that had been lifted by the Viet Cong, from an 11 kilometre barrier minefield laid by Australian sappers, on orders from the then Australian Task Force Commander....Thank you Brigadier Graham....well done that man! Minefields not covered by fire and observation, are only a deterrent to passage, for as long as is necessary to breach the obstacle. The Minefield: An Australian Tragedy in America's Vietnam War | The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus Minefield of Misery | 1 Field Squadron RAE I Have to wonder whether conservative mine warfare enthusiasts would be as sanguine in their use if they were to be dropped / laid as profligately and indiscriminately on US soil, as was the case in Vietnam? Landmines still exacting a heavy toll on Vietnamese civilians That the perp failed in his mission to destroy his target speaks perhaps to his training and competence in using the bomb effectively. That he failed to destroy the aircraft is less important, than the disruption, inconvenience, expense, and fear that he has generated for international travellers on a daily basis: From that perspective, his mission was very successful. To describe such men as idiots, is to under estimate our opponents.
Unfortunately (depending om which side you're on) many wars have been won simply by using enough idiots against the enemy. Never underestimate the power of applied stupidity.
In Bosnia, the damn things were everywhere even after hostilities had ceased which is exactly the problem. Mines are an extremely effective deterrent but their problem lies in ensuring they are removed when no longer needed and the kicker is it takes much longer to remove them - that in simple terms is the problem with them, sort of a double-edge sword. Afghanistan was the same damn way when I first got there. Hell, I had them in a roped off area right behind my satcom van.
I have no issue with the use of landmines. I think they should be deployed En Masse along our southern border in addition to sensor activated MGs with interlocking fields of fire. Get through a mile of that in one piece-Welcome to America! Personally I wish I had a couple more cases of claymores..
Chelloveck, never thought of you as an officer before, but in hindsight that does seem to explain quite a bit.
When I was at bagram air field and the insurgants would try to attack they wouldn't even try to go through the old Russian mine field and most of them had suicide vests. When a suicide bomber avoids it you know it works. I say we bring back mine fields, starting along the US Mexico boarder.
I'm sure that legionaries felt much the same about centurions, tribunes and legates, back in the day. Some officers are a necessary evil, some NCOs are an evil necessity; the general soldiery, are there to execute the orders of, hopefully, soldierly generals.
Heh. MANY junior and company grade officers reached their Peter plateau one grade lower and suffered percussive sublimation pending the third pass over.
Mediocrity and incompetence are a fact of life at every stratum of rank in the military. The miracle is that armies generally function in spite of them.
chelloveck, my great grand father survived the Civil war as a member of the I st Minnesota, including Gettysburg and the only thing passed down to me by my grand father from his father's war experience was to never trust an officer as their goals and your survival were two different things. Just saying I come from a long line of enlisted and drafted men and am proud of it.
There's nothing wrong with being proud of one's forebears serving in the ranks, or serving as officers....it is what they do when serving that matters. An officer's survival, is also, often inextricably dependent upon their subordinate's survival.
As someone who has actual hands on experience with land mines, they are a necessary part of defensive warfare. They are a force multiplier that frees up multitudes of war fighters, reduces casualties for the defenders, and are a cheap and effective weapons system. I spent 18 months both clearing and emplacing landmines in the Northwestern corridor.
Force multiplier. Big fan of Fascam and area denial. It is cool watching Fascam blow at sundown when their time is up.
