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Spencer provides a history of the FMLN guerrilla special forces-known collectively by the acronym FES-in El Salvador. Trained in Cuba and Vietnam and utilizing techniques taken from the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese army, the FES terrorized the armed forces of El Salvador from 1981 to 1992. After reviewing their training, Spencer examines the major operations of the special forces and gives an in-depth discussion of their tactics and methods. He concludes with a look at the special forces groups in other Latin American countries.
After reviewing their training, Spencer looks at the major operations of the special forces groups of three of the guerrilla factions-the FPL, ERP, and FAL-and provides an in-depth discussion of their major operation tactics and methods. He concludes with a look at the special forces groups in Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Puerto Rico. This thorough examination of an often misunderstood approach to guerrilla warfare will be of great interest to researchers involved with contemporary low-intensity warfare and Latin American affairs.
List of contents
Abbreviations
Introduction by Jose Angel Moroni Bracamonte
Guerrilla Special Forces of El Salvador: The FPL, Vietnam and Cuba
FMLN Special Forces Techniques
FPL Special Forces Operations
ERP Operations
Special Forces of the FAL
Guerrilla Special Forces in Latin America
Conclusions and Analysis
Bibliography
Index
About the author
David E. Spencer has lived and travelled throughout Latin America, spending more than 13 years in the region. From 1990 to 1992 he served as an independent political and public affairs adviser to the Salvadoran military. Currently he is a PhD candidate at George Washington University in comparative politics. Among his earlier publications is Strategy and Tactics of the Salvadoran FMLN Guerrillas (Praeger, 1995).
