The period of late 20 th C history called the Cold War from 1945 until 1989, saw the most rapid advancements in the destructive power of weaponry ever. In this sense much of the legacy of the Cold war, in terms of NBC (WMD) systems and their delivery means remain with us. Yet one highly destructive weapon system, cheap and easy to deploy, proliferated widely and was used extensively. Landmines.
Think booby traps, car alarms, animal pit hunters dug in prehistoric times – it is a CONCEPT, a psychological concept in war, more than just a weapon. (1) Cannot distinguish the target (2) Designed to maim: why? (3)Weapon of terror: Instills fear
FMLN El Salvador (ATAP factories). LTTE use children. Deterrence effect. “Sitzkreig”. Covers dead ground, defends ground where manpower is scare or more expensive weapons are not available/affordable. Poor mans weapon.
Historical roots lie in undermining of castle walls and fortifications (hence the word mine)
Response to static trench warfare deadlock, tanks developed, counter system needed to stop tanks mines developed then AP mines developed to stop sappers lifting the AT mines and adapted shells
In 1921, Vladimir Illyich Lenin, realizing the effort needed to (a) reorganize the Red Army and people and defeat the Whites in the post-revolutionary Russian Civil War (b) devise a military doctrine that would be able to be the locomotive of world revolution, evolved and published the Doctrine of People’s War. This rejects western, or bourgeois notions of warmaking, including outmoded notions of honour and recognizing non-combatant’s, this was a case of ‘all to arms” - going further even that revolutionary France and the “Levee en Masse”. The people had to be armed, and so Soviet weapon in the incoming years recognized this, resulting in the development of such light portable weapons. (The tenacious defence of both Leningrad and Stalingrad exemplifies the doctrine when millions of civilians not only were forced remain in the cities, but took part in the active defence). The Soviet PFM-1 scatterablepressure-sensitive blast mine is also known as the "butterfly mine" because of its shape, which unfortunately attracts children who think it is a toy. Millions of these small green mines were scattered from helicopters or launched from artillery throughout the war in Afghanistan. They became so familiar that children began to call them "green parrots". It has been produced in various shades of brown green, and white. But also in very attractive colors for children, like blue and red. The PFM-1S version of this mine is one of rare designs which include a self-destruct mechanism. It explodes 24 hours after deployment. One 'wing' contains liquid explosive. When pressure is applied the explosive is forced into contact with the fuse. The amount of explosive is small, but it can still take a child's hand off.
Thus a notable feature of wars during European decolonization and convergence with ‘proxy’ Cold War conflicts where belligerents became Western or Soviet or Chinese clients was (1) Inter-sate often Low Intensity Conflict (LIC) using Light man portable weapons (for woman and children also) featuring Guerilla or Irregular forces with often very poorly trained combatants. This was not accidental, weapon types such as those produced by the Soviet Bloc - precluded the need for intensive (indeed bourgeois) military training - and created an armed people. So the weapons design and distribution was as much a political act as much as a military one. Some countries even put the AK-47 on their flags!
WW2 already left Europe the most heavily mined place on earth yet ‘safe’ by 1948 (relate instances and examples Belgium. Poland, Russia AND Eurostar…..
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