CMH Pub 70-81-1, Paper
2002; 28 pages, illustrations, maps
GPO S/N: 008-029-00381-3
The United States Army in Somalia, 1992-1994, covers the period when the United States intervened in the east African country of Somalia to arrest famine in the midst of an ongoing civil war. Ultimately hundreds of thousands were saved from starvation, but unintended involvement in Somali civil strife cost the lives of forty-two members of the armed forces, resulting in the impression of chaos and disaster. Richard W. Stewart in his essay analyzes how a mission that had accomplished so much had ended in such circumstances. Stewart concludes that the military and diplomatic peace operation was doomed to failure because there was no peace to keep: The factions were not exhausted from the fighting and were not yet willing to stop killing each other or anyone caught in the middle. The dedication and sacrifices made by soldiers in that war-torn country provide a lesson in heroism that remains compelling today.
* View this publication online.