Fangs of the Lone Wolf: Chechen Tactics in the Russian-Chechen War 1994-2009

by Dodge Billingsley, Lester W. Grau

Books on guerrilla war are seldom written from the tactical perspective and even less seldom from the guerrilla's perspective. Fangs of the Lone Wolf: Chechen Tactics in the Russian-Chechen Wars 1994-2009 is an exception. These are the stories of low-level guerrilla combat as told by the survivors. They cover fighting from the cities of Grozny and Argun to the villages of Bamut and Serzhen-yurt, and finally the hills, river valleys and mountains that make up so much of Chechnya. The author embedded with Chechen guerrilla forces and knows the conflict, country and culture. Yet, as a Western outsider, he is able to maintain perspective and objectivity. He traveled extensively to interview Chechen former combatants now displaced, some now in hiding or on the run from Russian retribution and justice. The military professional will appreciate the book's crisp narration, organization by type of combat, accurate color maps and insightful analysis and commentary. The civilian reader will discover the complexity of "simple guerrilla tactics" and the demands on individual perseverance and endurance that guerrilla warfare exacts.The book is organized into vignettes that provide insight on the nature of both Chechen and Russian tactics utilized during the two wars. They show the chronic problem of guerrilla logistics, the necessity of digging in fighting positions, the value of the correct use of terrain and the price paid in individual discipline and unit cohesion when guerrillas are not bound by a military code and law. Guerrilla warfare is probably as old as man, but has been overshadowed by maneuver war by modern armies and recent developments in the technology of war. As Iraq, Afghanistan, the Philippines and Chechnya demonstrate, guerrilla war is not only still viable, but is increasingly common. Fangs of the Lone Wolf provides a unique insight into what is becoming modern and future war.

Genres: History, Russia, Military History, War, Nonfiction, Military Fiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2013

Reviews

[Sleepy Boy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Handy primer of vignettes covering firsthand dos and dont's in dealing with, to borrow modern parlance, invading Russian Orcs.

[J.G. Cully · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book I've been looking for. I've read simular books on the Chechen wars but they've either been from the Russian perspective or only covered the conflict in passing. This book covers the exact tactics adapted by the Chechen fighters during two brutal wars. There is no political aspect here. It simply deals with how they fought. Small unit tactics, ambushes, sniper work; it's all here. The addition of well thought out maps helps give each battle extra detail. A must for anyone interested in modern military tactics.

[Tomasz · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting topic, done in by the author (and editorial team) who just couldn't be bothered. Names of people and places are often garbled, because who gives a wet fart about some nowhere village in Caucasus, footnotes concerning military equipment aren't worth the space they've been given, even the bibliography contains spelling errors. The tales of Chechen fighters are presented as gospel, of course (yes, I do realize verifying them is difficult. But that's the point, OK?). Not recommended.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a slender book, but an interesting one. It recounts various aspects of the war, from the Chechen side, based on first-hand accounts. It details their early successes, and the ultimate failure. If you want a feel for how locals try to battle invaders in the modern world, this is pretty cool. From the point of view of the locals, the prospects are pretty grim, even against a bloated, impotent paper tiger like the Russian military.

[James Piss · Rating 4 out of 5]

the mushroom chjiklen ware>>???

[J.L. Askew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides in depth coverage of the tactics employed by small groups of Chechen insurgents as they fought the larger mechanized Russian army. The highly motivated resistance in Chechnya was willing to do whatever it took to punish the Russians.
This book consists of interviews with veterans of the insurgency about what they saw and did in the two Chechen Wars. The author describes the strengths and weaknesses of both sides in the conflict, providing telling details of the many skirmishes, raids, and ambushes that constituted the war. The Russian army steadily advanced, leveling many towns and villages that harbored the insurgents, ultimately forcing the Chechen resistance into guerrilla warfare.
This is a textbook study of small unit tactics used to fight a much larger and stronger army. Billingsley has produced a fascinating look at the resilience and courage of the Chechen fighters striving to free their country from Russian rule.

[Narkkipiispa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this. It has nothing extra, but explains shifts in Chechen organisation, tactics and how their difficulties in acquiring ammunition hindered their efforts. The pain of slowly losing against a superior enemy really shows through the interviews of the former combatants. It's also rather interesting how little Russian tactics have changed since the 90s when you contrast the war in Chechnya to Russian invasions of Georgia and Ukraine.

Stories about Chechens making their own rocket launchers out of helicopter-rocket pods and mortars out of drive shaft covers are really giddy additions as well. The war was naturally awful and brutal, yet the Chechens come out as inventive, high on morale and very much ready to fight.

[Aaron White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good, but it definitely requires a certain type of audience.

The book isn't so much a long narrative that flows, but more of a general overview of tactics used by Chechens in their fights against Russians. It is often told from the perspective of the Chechen fighters who were there, who described their goals and what they thought, along with as much information as the author could find to follow up on verifying the events as described.

A lot of maps are included, and when paired with Google Maps, it really helps give a comprehensive view of how groups of often outnumbered and outgunned soldiers could take on Russian troops.

[Don Yurmanovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well organized and compiled work on the conflict. The commentaries helped me get the most out of the vignettes, and military literature would be vastly improved if all books put similar thought and effort into their maps. Wish there was more discussion of logistics and training but perhaps that is outside the scope of 'tactics'.

Overall, a pretty specialized book but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to people interested in either the conflict or small unit tactics.

[James Yee · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book that relied extensively on interviews during and after the wars. The vignettes of the various battles are quick reads, and sometimes I wish there was more background info. The numerous footnotes provided some of the extra details, but I often found myself wishing there was more of them. A unique and enjoyable book.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish it were longer!

Great book. Well researched, and it provides a compelling narrative. It does feel short, and the chronology is a little strange. But well worth reading!

[Tyler Skillen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Impressive collection of recounts and vignettes from Chechen soldiers during both wars. I recommend this to anyone interested in studying guerilla warfare.

[Medusa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly well written professional analysis of mostly small unit clashes in the First and Second Chechnyan Wars. There are some editing errors and the occasional credulous retelling of propaganda, but these don't offset the generally useful nature of this book. Available at this writing on Everand.