In the early 90s, the world’s militaries faced a dilemma. Peace enforcement operations, wherein UN troops aggressively ended hostilities, were seen as the next generation of peace operations. These operations were, in all practical terms, offensive military operations under the UN flag. However, their stronger mandate increased the risk of blue helmet casualties.
To provide some insight into the potential human costs of peace enforcement operations, Christopher G. Blood and Marlisa E. Anderson, working under the US Medical Information Systems and Operations Research Department, examined the casualty rates during the Battle of Hue. The author’s reasoning was that future UN operations would likely require US Marines to retake urban areas held by hostile forces. The duration and required force of the Battle of Hue “has applicability to estimating the levels of casualties which might be sustained in a U.N.-led military operation within an urban environment” (Blood and Anderson 1993, 3).
The authors collected data on Marine KIA, MIA, and DNBI (Disease/Non Battle Injuries) rates during the retaking of Hue and compared them to other phases of the battle (Mopping up operations etc…), different periods in the Vietnam war, and the Marine assault of Okinawa during WWII.
They found that while the casualty rate for the Battle of Hue experienced large fluctuations, the DNBI rate was relatively stable and consistent with the overall Marine rate during that period of the war. In contrast, significant changes in DNBI rates are seen in the Okinawa assault. Blood and Anderson concluded (using no formal statistical tests) that “increases in battle fatigue cases and illness tied to high levels of battlefield stress are more a function of sustained high intensity operations, rather than a high intensity battle within a light-to-moderate intensity conflict” (Blood and Anderson 1993, 12). In other words: do not underestimate the power of stress and fatigue in conflict.
Work Cited
Blood, C G, and M E Anderson. 1994. “The battle for Hue: casualty and disease rates during urban warfare.” Military medicine 159(9): 590-5.
Christopher R. Albon is a political science Ph.D. specializing in armed conflict, public health, human security, and health diplomacy.
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