Counter-Strike from the Sky: The Rhodesian All-Arms Fireforce in the War in the Bush 1974–1980

J. R. T. Wood, auteur de ce livre, effectue des recherches sur le conflit rhodésien depuis des années et ses travaux ont souvent été repris par d'autres publications.Counter-Strike from the Sky est une très bonne référence sur le sujet des "Fire forces" effectuées tout d'abord par la Rhodesian Light Infantry de recrutement 100% "Européen", (appellation d'époque car il y avaient de nombreux volontaires originaires d'Amérique du Nord ou d'Australie et Nouvelle-Zélande dans les rangs de la RLI) puis, à partir de 1977, également par les Rhodesian African Rifles dont les militaires du rangs et sous-officiers étaient Africains noirs et à les officiers "Européen".Destiné à lutter contre l'insurrection des mouvements ZIPRA et ZANLA soutenus par la Chine et le bloc de l'Est et qui infiltraient des groupes armés en Rhodésie afin de précipiter la chute du gouvernement de Ian Smith, le concept de Fire a connu un succès extraordinaire.Ayant réussi a exploiter au mieux les faibles moyens de la Rhodesian Air Force et de la Rhodesian Army, le commandement rhodésien a créé un outil combinant manoeuvre héliportée, manoeuvre aéroportée, appui aérien rapproché par avions et hélicoptères et combat au sol à courte distance qui fait aujourd'hui encore figure de référence tant son efficacité fut grande.Le livre de JRT Wood est extrêmement détaillé; il comporte des photos, des graphiques, des dessins explicatifs sur les différentes phases d'une opération et même un DVD présentant un documentaire d'époque sur les Fire force ! Cela permet, après la lecture de l'ouvrage, de visualiser les informations lues et cela complète de manière très utile la lecture de ce remarquable ouvrage.

This is without question the most thoroughly researched historical work available on "everything" related to Fire Force operations in the Rhodesian War. Although this is your typical 9 x 6 hardcover, it has a very Osprey "feel" to it. By that, I mean the author included several color plates and several sections of quality photos that make the book seem more like something Osprey would publish. That doesn't mean, however, that the written sections are given short shrift. On the contrary, so much detail is presented here that the casual reader may become bogged down. I don't want to give the impression that this is an encyclopedic reference, but I do wish to convey that it is wonderful in its detail of minutiae. Included here is a plethora of maps, b&w photos, colour photos, prints, graphs, a glossary, an index, and even an accompanying documentary DVD. It's likely that Fire Force operations comprised the majority of lethal contacts with terrorists operating in and around Rhodesia during the war. Wood's "Counterstrike" is easily one of the best historical sources available on the Rhodesian War. So if you're a serious student of this conflict, this is a "must read."

Readable yet scholarly, the book covers an overlooked episode in the development of all-arms warfare. From the cost of each 20mm cannon shell (important to a country subject to sanctions) to the thinking behind many of the tactical developments, this book appears to provide an accurate yet accessible account of Fireforce ops.

Excellent book on the Rhodesian Fireforce concept. The author has done some extremely detailed research into the subject. Couldn't fault it in anyway.

Counterstrike From The Sky is JRT Wood's attempt to put to paper a comprehensive look at the the Fireforce concept of total envelopment of a terrorist/insurgent force within the Rhodesian conflict. Particulars cover the evolution, equipment, and doctrine of a Fireforce, as well as an in-depth look at Operation Dingo - the strikes against the ZANLA camps at Chimoio and Tembue.The book is, naturally, covers a very specific and narrow subject area and readers have to be interested in the subject to stick with this book. Furthermore, by virtue of their connection to the tactic, the Rhodesian Light Infantry receives a lot of coverage in the book at the expense of discussion of the RAR and RSAS who also used the tactic. That said - for those who are interested in it, this book makes good coverage of the topic, though for some it may not be in-depth enough in certain areas. The doctrine section (covered under the chapter on Fireforce commanders) is a very good read in particular. Those interested in learning the nitty-gritty of Operation Dingo will also find the second half of the book of particular interest.On the other hand, some will find the book a bit dry to read as it is written primarily for an academic/military audience. The examination of Operation Dingo is particularly plodding, but extremely useful in that it covers the movements of nearly every unit involved in the operation. Most will find themselves constantly flipping back and forth between the map section and the text when reading this portion, though the pictures and maps are of good quality and highly useful as an supplement to the text. My only other qualm is that a theoretical exercise in if/how the concept could be used in a modern counter-insurgency effort would have been a nice addition.If you are interested in the concept of Fireforce or Operation Dingo (though Dr. Wood has a separate book coming out on the operation later in 2011) this book will be an informative read so long as you have the patience and mindset to read an academically oriented book.