Russ Glenn’s Innovative Defense Research, LLC provides original, award-winning, and impactful analysis on issues critical to US and world security. Available publications include the below. Those with urls/DOI shown are freely downloadable online.
A sense of Russ Glenn’s body of work is evident in the below review of his most recent nonfiction offering, Come Hell or High Water: Readying the World’s Megacities for Disaster:
Russ writes with an easy and accessible style, providing understandable language in which readers will find occasional “hidden humor.” Russ states upfront that this publication should be of value to a very broad audience. I completely agree. I have therefore recommended the book to an expansive range of readers in my home country of The Netherlands and likewise believe it will advise thinking EU and NATO-wide. Those among Dutch colleagues to whom I have suggested it are my TNO colleagues and others with former or current army connections. But this is by no means a military-only book. Far from it. Its reach encompasses any with responsibilities for or an interest in urban disasters and their management. Among others to whom I have therefore also commended Come Hell or High Fever and its related posts are city planners and developers, to include the mayor of my hometown of Arnhem, further suggesting he should forward these materials to policymakers, leadership of local emergency agencies, and our Dutch National Security Board of which all Dutch mayors are members. Virtually any audience will find value in these resources, value magnified by the author’s expansive use of historical examples. These contain many lessons still valuable and applicable today, ones, unfortunately, too often forgotten. Key points include much that is pragmatic; material valuable before, during, and after a calamity; and insights highlighting the critical role of urban residents when disaster visits. Incorporating the book’s recommendations now will go a long way toward reducing stress when catastrophe comes to call. Russ Glenn’s recognition that urban warfare joins earthquakes, flooding, and hurricanes as among the sources of urban disaster allows readers—regardless of background or current responsibilities—to benefit from any of past crises’ lessons. Soldiers have much to learn from civil authorities’ insights. Conversely, military concepts such as rules of engagement and seeking to avoid unwitting collateral damage demonstrate that current approaches to urban disasters have many additional lessons from which they can benefit. We all understand the tragedy of urban destruction regardless of whether it is due to military action as currently is the case in Ukraine or via other causes. Regardless of cause, this book will help us deal with its huge consequences for civilians and their living environments. Come Hell or High Fever provided me with a new set of eyes when contemplating cities and the misfortunes that visit them. Russ Glenn’s thorough research provides us—practitioners, students, planners, policymakers, elected authorities, and individual citizens—an integrated approach for addressing challenges given too little attention at present.
Lieutenant Colonel Henk Oerlemans (Dutch Army, retired)
A complete list of publicly available publications:
Books, Book Chapters, Other Book Entries
Gods’ War (fiction). Williamsburg, VA: Innovative Defense Research, 2023, Available in eBook and paperback form from Amazon and other distributors worldwide.
Come Hell or High Fever: Readying the World’s Megacities for Disaster, Canberra, Australia: Australian National University Press, 2023. Available for free download via https://press.anu.edu.au/publications/come-hell-or-high-fever and purchase in paperback format.
Trust and Leadership: The Australian Army Approach to Mission Command, Dahlonega, GA: University of North Georgia Press, 2020 (author/editor).
“Terrorism and Cities: A Target Rich Environment,” “Megacities: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” and “Urban Operations: Meeting Challenges, Seizing Opportunities, Improving the Approach,” in Blood and Concrete: 21st Century Conflict in Urban Centers and Megacities, eds. Dave Dilegge, et. al, Bloomington, IN: Xlibris, 2019.
New Directions in Strategic Thinking 2.0: Proceedings of the Strategic and Defense Studies Centre’s Golden Anniversary Conference, Canberra, Australia: ANU Press, 2018 (author/editor).
Rethinking Western Approaches to Counterinsurgency: Lessons from post-colonial conflict, Abingdon, UK: Routledge, 2015. (Published in paperback in 2016)
“Urban Terrorism,” in Counterterrorism: Bridging Operations and Theory, ed. Robert J. Bunker, et al., Bloomington, IN: iUniverse, 2015, 400-402.
“Anti-Piracy Intelligence: Adapting Lessons from Other Forms of Irregular Conflict,” in Prediction and Recognition of Piracy Efforts Using Collaborative Human-Centric Information Systems, ed. E. Bosse, E. Shahbazian, and G. Rogova, Washington, D.C.: IOS Press, 54-61, 2013.
“Des partenaires qui ne jouent pas le jeu? Les sociétés militaires privées au service des opérations de contre-insurrection,” in Freres D/Armes?, trans. Christian Malis, Paris: Economica, 51-65, 2011.
“Challenges to Shaping Civilian Attitudes and Behaviors in a Theater of Operations,” in Influence Warfare: How Terrorists and Governments Fight to Shape Perceptions in a War of Ideas, Ed. By James J. F. Forest, Westport, CT: Praeger, 173-194, 2009 (coauthor).
“Cleansing Polluted Seas: Non-state Threats and the Urban Environment.” In Non-State Threats and Future Wars. Robert J. Bunker, ed., London: Frank Cass, 109-120, 2002.
Reading Athena’s Dance Card: Men Against Fire in Vietnam. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2000.
Introduction to S.L.A. Marshall. Men Against Fire: The Problem of Battle Command in Future War. Norton, OK: U. of Oklahoma Press, 2000.
Selected entries in Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Army. Jerold E. Brown, ed. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000.
Reports
Is Ours a Nation at War? Proceedings for the G-2 TRADOC 2021 “Role of America’s Army in National Defense, 2021-2030” Campaign of Learning, Fort Eustis, VA: U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, August 2021, https://api.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/2021/10/27/e1b5d8c4/21-665.pdf
The Changing Character of Warfare: The Urban Operational Environment, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Pamphlet 525-92-1, Fort Eustis, VA: U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, April 2020, https://adminpubs.tradoc.army.mil/pamphlets/TP525-92-1.pdf
Achieving Convergence during Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations in the World’s Largest Urban Areas: Proceedings of the “Current and Future Operations in Megacities Conference, Tokyo, Japan, July 16-18, 2019, Fort Eustis, VA: U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, October 1, 2019; https://community.apan.org/wg/tradoc-g2/mad-scientist/m/tokyo-megacities-conference-2019/294569
Where None Have Gone Before: Operational and Strategic Perspectives on Multi-Domain Operations in Megacities – Proceedings of the “Multi-Domain Battle in Megacities” Conference, April 3-4, 2018, Fort Hamilton, New York, Fort Eustis, VA: U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, (2018).
Short War in a Perpetual Conflict: Implications of Israel’s 2014 Operation Protective Edge for the Australian Army, Canberra, Australia: Australian Army (2016).
Core U.S. Counterinsurgency Asset: Lessons from Iraq and Afghanistan for United States Army Corps of Engineers Leaders, Fredericksburg, VA: A-T Solutions (2016)
All Glory is Fleeting: Insights from the Second Lebanon War, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2012).
Band of Brothers or Dysfunctional Family? A Military Perspective on Coalition and Alliance Challenges During Stability Operations, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2011).
Proceedings of the 2011 Zvi Meitar Institute for Land Warfare Studies “War’s Changing Environment” Conference, Latrun, Israel: Institute for Land Warfare Studies (2011)
Proceedings of the 2010 Zvi Meitar Institute for Land Warfare Studies “Fighting in Urban Terrain” Conference, Latrun, Israel: Institute for Land Warfare Studies (2011).
Glory Restored? The Implications of the 2008-2009 Gaza War in Times of Extended Conflict, Fredericksburg, VA: A-T Solutions (2010).
Yesterday’s Lessons for Today’s Soldiers: Proceedings for the Institute of Land Warfare Studies “Maneuver in Complex Terrain” Conference, Latrun, Israel, September 1-3, 2009, Latrun, Israel: Institute for Land Warfare Studies (2010).
Evaluation of USAID’s Community Stabilization Program (CSP) in Iraq: Effectiveness of the CSP Model as a Non-lethal Tool for Counterinsurgency, Washington, D.C.: United States Agency for International Development (2009).
Land Maneuver in the 21st Century: The 2nd Latrun Conference for Land Warfare, Latrun, Israel: Institute for Land Warfare Studies (2009).
Counterinsurgency in a Test Tube: Analyzing the Success of the Regional Assistance Mission, Solomon Islands (RAMSI), Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2007).
Enlisting Madison Avenue: The Marketing Approach to Earning Popular Support in Theaters of Operation, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2007) (coauthor)
People Make the City: Joint Urban Operations Observations and Insights from Afghanistan and Iraq (Executive Summary), Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2007).
Preparing for the Proven Inevitable: A Joint Urban Operations Training Strategy for 2005-2011, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2006).
Urban Battle Command in the Twenty-first Century, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2005).
Steeling the Mind: Urban Combat Stress Reaction, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2005) (coauthor)
Managing Complexity During Military Urban Operations: Visualizing the Elephant, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2004).
Urban CSS Operations: The Shoulders of Atlas, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2003).
Training the 21st Century Police Officer: Redefining Police Professionalism for the Los Angeles Police Department, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2003).
Honing the Keys to the City: Refining the United States Marine Corps Reconnaissance Force for Urban Ground Combat Operations, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2003).
Unweaving the Web: Deception and Adaptation in Future Urban Operations, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2002) (coauthor).
“California’s Preparedness for Weapons of Mass Destruction Attacks,” In The Implications of the September 11 Terrorist Attacks for California, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2002), 43-64.
Ready for Armageddon: Proceedings of the 2001 RAND Arroyo-U.S. Army ACTD-CETO-USMC Non-Lethal and Urban Operations Program Urban Operations Conference, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2002) (editor).
Street Smart: Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield for Urban Operations, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2002) (coauthor).
Exploring Advanced Technologies for the Future Combat Systems, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2002) (coauthor).
An Attack on Duffer’s Downtown, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2001).
Capital Preservation: Proceedings of the RAND Arroyo-TRADOC-Marine Corps Warfighting Lab-OSD Conference on Joint Urban Operations, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2001) (editor).
Corralling the Trojan Horse: A Proposal for Improving U.S. Urban Operations Preparedness in the Period 2000-2025, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2001).
Lightning Over Water: Sharpening America’s Light Forces for Rapid-Reaction Missions Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2001) (coauthor).
Heavy Matter: Urban Operations Density of Challenges, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2000).
The City’s Many Faces: Proceedings of the RAND Arroyo Center-Marine Corps Warfighting Lab-J8 Urban Working Urban Working Group Conference on Joint Urban Operations, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2000) (editor).
The Art of Darkness: Deception and Urban Operations, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (2000) (coauthor).
“…We Band of Brothers:” The Call for Joint Urban Operations Doctrine, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (1999).
Marching Under Darkening Skies: The American Military and the Impending Urban Operations Threat, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (1998).
Denying the Widow-maker: Summary of Proceedings, RAND-DBL Conference on Military Operations on Urbanized Terrain, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (1998) (editor).
Combat in Hell: A Consideration of Constrained Urban Warfare, Santa Monica, CA: RAND (1996).
Articles, podcasts, and select blog posts
“Urban Disaster Wrought by Man – The Battle for Manila, 1945,” Journal of Strategic Security, pending publication in 2024.
“Monterrey, 1846: Still Offering Urban Combat Lessons After all these Years,” Small Wars Journal (March 6, 2023), https://smallwarsjournal.com/index.php/jrnl/art/monterrey-1846-still-offering-urban-combat-lessons-after-all-these-years
Fourteen articles addressing readying for, responding to, and recovering from urban disasters, posted on LinkedIn between October 10, 2022 and January 9, 2023. First post available at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/first-fourteen-weekly-urban-disaster-posts-russ-glenn/ The series is also available online at Small Wars Journal.
“Can Ours Not be a Great Generation? Building Effective National Defense Teams,” Canadian Military Journal 22 (Spring 2022), 34-44, http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/cmj-22.2-toc-en.html co-author)
“Sub-threshold Maneuver and the Flanking of U.S. National Security,” US Army Training and Doctrine Command Mad Scientist blogpost no. 301 and accompanying full-length article, February 1, 2021,
https://madsciblog.tradoc.army.mil/301-sub-threshold-maneuver-and-the-flanki
ng-of-u-s-national-security/.
“Thought Leaders: Urban Operations Part 1,” Association of the United States Army podcast, September 28, 2020, https://podcast.ausa.org/e/thought-leaders-urban-operations-part-1/
“Mismatch: U.S. Preparation for Future Conflict During China’s Second Cultural Revolution,” Small Wars Journal (January 8, 2020), https://smallwarsjournal.com/index.php/jrnl/art/mismatch-us-preparation-future-conflict-during-chinas-second-cultural-revolution
“LTG MacFarland: Insights on Illusions of Victory and Iraq,” Parameters 48 (Spring 2018): 15-24, can be accessed at https://press.armywarcollege.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2661&context=parameters
“Tomorrow’s Urban Battlefield,” Modern Warfare Institute podcast, July 5, 2018, https://mwi.usma.edu/mwi-podcast-tomorrows-urban-battlefield-dr-russell-glenn/
“Why the U.S. Government Is No Longer Capable of Ensuring National Security,” The National Interest (March 31, 2018), https://nationalinterest.org/feature/why-the-us-government-no-longer-capable-ensuring-national-25160
“Megacities: The Time is Nigh,” Mad Scientist Laboratory blog post, March 29, 2018, https://community.apan.org/wg/tradoc-g2/mad-scientist/m/mdua/162297
“From Sacred Cow to Agent of Change: Reconceiving Maneuver in Light of Multi-Domain Battle and Mission Command,” Small Wars Journal (September 20, 2017), http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/from-sacred-cow-to-agent-of-change-reconceiving-maneuver-in-light-of-multi-domain-battle-an
“Meeting Demand: Making Maneuver Relevant to the 21st Century,” Small Wars Journal (July 5, 2017), http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/meeting-demand-making-maneuver-relevant-to-the-21st-century
“Mission Command in the Australian Army: A Contrast in Detail,” Parameters 47 (Spring 2017): 21-30, https://press.armywarcollege.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2833&context=parameters
“Ten Million is Not Enough: Coming to Grips with Megacities’ Challenges and Opportunities,” Small Wars Journal, (January 25, 2017), http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/ten-million-is-not-enough-coming-to-grips-with-megacities%E2%80%99-challenges-and-opportunities
“Information and Warfare: The Israeli Case,” Parameters 46 (Autumn 2016): 99-107 (co-author), https://press.armywarcollege.edu/parameters/vol46/iss3/11/
“Information and Warfare: The Israeli Case,” Parameters 46 (Autumn 2016): 99-107 (co-author), https://press.armywarcollege.edu/parameters/vol46/iss3/11/.
“Megacities: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” Small Wars Journal (February 17, 2016), https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/152efbbeccf00de1. Also appears ,” in Blood and Concrete: 21st Century Conflict in Urban Centers and Megacities, eds. Dave Dilegge, et. al, Bloomington, IN: Xlibris, 2019, 350-369.
“Fighting Small Wars in the New Century – From Corinth to Kandahar: Soldiers in Cities Across the Millennia,” Pointer: Journal of the Singapore Armed Forces 37, No. 2 (2011): 65-79, http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/publications/pointer/journals/2011/v37n2.html
“A Tale of Two Countries: Counterinsurgency and Capacity Building in the Pacific,” Australian Defence Force Journal, No. 179 (2009); and Small Wars Journal (June 12, 2008), http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/2008/06/a-tale-of-two-countries/
“Night Runners of Baghdad: A Look Back at Ironside Military Police on Route Irish,” Military Police, Professional Bulletin 19-09-1 (Spring 2009): 21-22.
“Identifying Urban Flashpoints: A Delphi-Derived Model for Scoring Cities’ Vulnerability to Large-Scale Unrest,” Studies in Conflict and Terrorism 31, no. 11 (2008), 981-1000. (coauthor)
“Terrorism and Cities: A Target Rich Environment.” Small Wars Journal 1 (April 2005): 8-12. Also appears in “Terrorism and Cities: A Target Rich Environment,” in Blood and Concrete: 21st Century Conflict in Urban Centers and Megacities, eds. Dave Dilegge, et. al, Bloomington, IN: Xlibris, 2019, 1-6.
“An Attack on Duffer’s Downtown.” Army Doctrine & Training News 18 (Winter 2002-2003): 20-38
“Letting God Rest: Use of Nonlethal Weapons Protects the Innocent in Urban Areas.” Armed Forces Journal International 140 (May 2003): 49-52.
“Giving Sight to the Blind Man: Urban Intelligence (and Some Other) Lessons from History.” INTSUM 10 (Winter 2002-2003): 24-28.
“Cleansing Polluted Seas: Non-state Threats and the Urban Environment.” Small Wars and Insurgencies (Special Edition, 2002): 109-120.
“Men Against Fire: At the Sharp Edge in Vietnam.” Vietnam (April 2002).
“Urban Combat is Complex.” Naval Institute Proceedings 128 (February 2002): 46-49.
“Fox Trot: Seeking Preparedness for Military Urban Operations.” Armed Forces Journal International (May 1999): 46-49.
“No More Principles of War?” Parameters 28 (Spring 1998): 48-66.
“Proteus Shackled: The Future of War.” Proceedings of the United States Naval Institute 123 (April 1997): 41-44.
“Earning the Thanks of Harry and Jack: The Journal of the Royal United Service Institution and World War Generalship.” RUSI Journal 142 (February 1997): 49-53.
“Briefing Techniques: Say Well What Needs Saying.” Infantry 83 (March-April 1993): 11-14.
“Together Into the Breach.” The Royal Engineer Journal 106 (December 1992): 240-244.
“The Clausewitz Posthumous Analysis of the Gulf War.” British Army Review (April 1992): 21-23; and The Australian Defence Force Journal (March/April 1992): 7-9.
“DIVOPs: 3rd Armored Division.” Military Review 72 (February 1992): 20-21.
“Give Me a Heavy-Light.” Armor 99 (September-October 1990): 35-37.
“Men and Fire in Vietnam: Why They Didn’t Shoot.” Army 39 (May 1989): 38-45.
“Men and Fire in Vietnam” Army 39 (April 1989): 18-26.
“VII Corps: Operation Cobra and the Mortain Counterattack.” Military Review 68 (July 1988): 57-66.
“The Commanders Intent: Keep it Short.” Military Review 67 (Portuguese language edition) (Fourth quarter 1987): 72-75.
“The Commanders Intent: Keep it Short.” Military Review 67 (August 1987): 50-53.
“I Will Live and Die Under the Flag of the Union: John Buford, Union Cavalry Commander.” Assembly 47 (April 1988): 16-18.
