The Battle of Fallujah

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The Battle of Fallujah forever changed the methods in which the American military conducts combat operations. The American military was not expecting to engage in such a bloody and intense battle like Fallujah. Fallujah changed the way the military conducted its tactical operations, its intelligence operations, and its Information Operations (IO). There are also a number of other factors that were changed to due this intense urban conflict. The Battle of Fallujah was started by one singular incident, which will now be expanded upon.
Insurgents ambushed and killed four American private security contractors in Fallujah, Iraq, on March 31, 2004. These men were from the Blackwater Security Firm. They were providing security for truck convoys carrying food throughout Fallujah. These men were not simply killed, but there corpses were set on fire, dismembered, beaten, and dragged through the streets of Fallujah. The insurgents hung two of the burnt corpses from a bridge over the Euphrates River while local citizens celebrated and rejoiced in the streets. Associated Press reporters on scene took pictures and showed the world the appalling event that had occurred.
These actions angered the U.S. government and on April 4, 2004, Operation Vigilant Resolve commenced. This battle had U.S. Marines attempt to expel insurgents, from Fallujah city, that were responsible for the murder of the Blackwater workers. The Marines were not fully prepared for the difficult urban combat this battle would entail. The horrid actions of the insurgents sent the U.S. into a frenzy, which in turn, did not allow them to prepare a proper battle strategy. The strategy for Fallujah city was simple, conventional Army tactics that would shock and awe the enemy into s...

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... western approaches to the city and secured the Jurf Kas Sukr Bridge. These initial attacks, however, was a diversion intended to distract and confuse the insurgents holding the city.

Works Cited

Ballard, John R. (2006) Fighting For Fallujah: A New Dawn for Iraq.
Daugherty, Josh (2009) The Daily Thoughts of a Fallujah Marine
Foulk, Vincent L. (2006) Battle of Fallujah: Occupation, Resistance and Stalemate in the War in Iraq.
Hickman, Kennedy (2009) Iraq War: Second Battle of Fallujah. About.com Military History. Retrieved from http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/conflictiniraq/p/fallujah.htm/
Mansour, Ahmed (2009) Inside Fallujah: The War on the Ground.
O’Donnell, Patrick (2006) We Were One: Shoulder to Shoulder with the Marines Who Took Fallujah.
Wikipedia (2013) Second Battle of Fallujah. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Fallujah

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