Urban Warfare Project

Latest Episodes:

The Law of War and the Urban Battlefield Nov 24, 2023

Show notes

The laws of war govern the initiation and conduct of armed conflict. What can be legitimately targeted? What constitutes a war crime? The laws of war provide answers to these questions and others. They apply everywhere, but there are unique considerations in certain environments—especially in cities. The hostilities in Gaza over the past several weeks offer a case in point. To examine the laws of war and their application in urban areas, and to specifically explore the case of Gaza, John Spencer is joined in this episode by General Charles Dunlap, a retired major general and former deputy judge advocate general of the US Air Force who is now a professor of the practice of law and executive director of the Center on Law, Ethics, and National Security at Duke Law School.

Military Ethics and Urban Warfare Nov 10, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, John Spencer is joined by Dr. Deane Baker, an associate professor at the University of New South Wales, Canberra at the Australian Defence Force Academy. He specializes in the ethics of armed conflict, and he joins the podcast to discuss his research on military ethics and how ethical dilemmas present themselves on the battlefield. In particular, he explains why urban warfare creates a context that generates unique ethical concerns—concerns that remain unresolved and are of interest to both warfighters and ethicists.

The IDF Approach to Protecting Civilians in Urban Warfare Oct 27, 2023

Show notes

Almost immediately after Hamas launched its brutal set of terrorist attacks in Israel, it became clear that the Israel Defense Forces would respond militarily. That meant a campaign against Hamas targets in Gaza. Because of Gaza's heavily urban terrain and the specific location of Hamas military forces, the fight has occurred—and will continue to occur—in deeply challenging environments for military forces, places where the law of armed conflict's provisions aimed at protecting civilians must be followed. To understand the specific measures in place to do so, John Spencer is joined on this episode by Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces. He describes the range of mechanisms adopted by Israeli forces to minimize incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, and damage to civilian property in urban warfare.

What Can the IDF Do about Hamas Tunnels? Oct 20, 2023

Show notes

If the Israel Defense Forces conduct a ground campaign in Gaza, the threat of Hamas tunnels will be one of the most significant challenges to contend with. But how many of these tunnels are there? What can Israeli forces do about the tunnels when they encounter them? Can they seal them? Can they destroy them with bunker-buster munitions or other explosives? The answers to these questions are not simple. In this episode, John Spencer welcomes Dr. Daphne Richemond-Barak back to the show. She is a professor at the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy at Reichman University, author of the book Underground Warfare, and creator of the International Working Group on Subterranean Warfare.

Israel, Gaza, and the Looming Challenges of Urban Warfare Oct 13, 2023

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On October 7, when the militant group Hamas launched a large-scale set of coordinated attacks against Israel, the tragic result was the deadliest day in the country's history. In this episode, host John Spencer is joined by Dr. Jacob Stoil, the chair of applied history at the Modern War Institute and an associate professor of military history at the US Army School of Advanced Military Studies. Together, they trace the Israel Defense Forces' initial response and contextualize the massive mobilization of three hundred thousand military reservists. This sets the stage for the discussion to explore an important question: If Israel launches a ground campaign into Gaza, what can they expect to encounter?

When War Goes Underground Sep 29, 2023

Show notes

What incentives do armed actors have to operate in subterranean environments? What are some of the unique challenges that underground spaces pose to military forces? And why is underground warfare occurring increasingly frequently? To explore those questions and other features of conflict in the exceptional terrain of the subterranean, this episode features a conversation with Dr. Daphne Richemond-Barak, an assistant professor at the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy, head of the international law desk of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism at IDC Herzliya, and author of the book Underground Warfare.

Surviving Occupied Mariupol Sep 15, 2023

Show notes

On February 24, 2022, when Russian forces invaded Ukraine, they quickly targeted several key cities. One of those was the industrial hub of Mariupol. For three months, Ukrainian forces defending the city held out, until they were told to surrender on May 20. While thousands were taken into captivity, many whom are still being held as prisoners of wars, at least one civilian fighter, a man named Gennadiy, survived and remained in the city. In this episode of MWI’s Urban Warfare Project Podcast, John Spencer tells the story of the man who fought the Russian invaders at the Battle of Mariupol, was captured and tortured, resisted, escaped, and survived in the rubble of the city for nine months, before he was rescued in an operation by Ukrainian special operations forces.

Training Ukrainians in Urban Warfare Sep 01, 2023

Show notes

How does Ukraine’s military balance the need to train its forces and fight in a major land war at the same time? In short, any way it can. That includes training led by a number of organizations created and staffed by foreigners in Ukraine, among whom are a number of military veterans from the United States. In this episode, John Spencer speaks to one of those them. Retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Erik Kramer is the cofounder and director of the Ukraine Defense Support Group. He describes his work training the Ukrainian Armed Forces and explains how he has modified the training based on unit needs and the evolution of the war—specifically, the challenges Ukrainian soldiers face on the urban battlefield.

Creating a Unit Optimized for Urban Warfare Aug 18, 2023

Show notes

In this episode, John Spencer is joined by Stuart Lyle. The urban operations lead for the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, he describes a series of research studies and events that led to the creation of a new type of unit called Phalanx. Optimized for the unique challenges of urban warfare, the British Army is currently experimenting with the new unit. He also explains the historical trends that influenced the form Phalanx would take and details the specific changes made to company-sized infantry units to enhance their performance on the modern urban battlefield.

Protecting Civilians in Urban Warfare Aug 04, 2023

Show notes

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, a series of battles have taken place for control of cities—Kherson, Mariupol, Kharkiv, and many more. Each of those fights have shared a common characteristic—the presence of civilians—that also represents one of the greatest challenges in urban warfare. Specifically, how can a military force protect noncombatants while it seeks to accomplish its objectives in a city? To explore this question, John Spencer is joined on this episode by Sahr Muhammedally from the Center for Civilians in Conflict, a nongovernmental organization that seeks to convince parties to armed conflicts to recognize the dignity and rights of civilians.

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