How does a modern Army defeat a Guerrilla army?

Thats a question that has yet to be answered. Historically, guerillas have never been "beaten" because they recruit from the people. The people support them, hide them, supply them and become them. So "beating" them is more than just killing them, its changing the mentality of the people, changing what & who they believe in. They can only be defeated from the inside. Some people will say outrageous things like nuking them or something crazy but thats genocide. Do defeat guerilla you have to defeat the mentality not the physical.

To defeat a guerrilla force, a modern army needs to do several things. The first is to isolate the guerrilla. Deny the force to opportunity to move into different areas. This also has the effect of cutting them off from supply routes. Next, the area is swept clear with a very large combat force. Once the area is cleared, move to the next area. The important thing to remeber is that you need to keep area isolated even after it is swept. This keeps other units from moving into the empty area.

If you look at the examples given above, each had unique problems that made victory difficult. In the war between England and the Colonies, the British army did not have a technological advantage. They used the same weapons as the Colonies. Also, due to the distances involved, bringing is troops and supplies from England was a long and difficult process. There were other reasons too, such as being an occupational force rather than an indeginous one.

The US war against Vietnam is an example of why civilian leadership should not dictate stratigic policy in wartime. The US did a very good job of isolating and clearing regions of combatants but since they were considered a police force, they were not permitted to hold any terrority taken and were forced to return to fire bases after each engagement. Additionaly for a vast majority of the war, the military was forbidden to attack Hanoi and other major cities where supplies originated from. They were also forbidden to attack many military sites that were responisbile for many offensives due to the fear in the White House that there may be Russian military advisors in the area and did not want to risk killing them and starting an interntional incident.

The USA's and other nations' war against Jihadists is much more difficult. Jihadists are not a guerrilla force, typically they operate in terrorist cells which can be effictively combated with large military forces.

In all 3 examples, the British and the USA were on the losing side. The only way to defeat a guerrilla army is persuading them that peace is a better alternative than constant war.

The British gave up to the Colonists

The USA left Vietnam in shame

The USA will leave the Middle East in shame.

In the US Civil War, the North welcomed the South back as brothers. In the Greek Civil War from 1945-1949, both sides welcomed each side back as brothers given that the US/UK were supporting the king while the Communists received support from nobody.

A modern army like the US does not fight guerilla warfare due to the high costs involved. The US used Napalm against the Vietnamese with little or no success and wreaked havoc on their own soldiers in the process.

They don't. Having been through an ordeal similar to what you are asking, I can give you an educated answer, though it may not be the one your looking for. The only-way this could be accomplished would be a complete "Genocide" of the enemy. Never going to happen. Not only is that unacceptable to the United-Nations as well as the Geneva-Convention, It is a "Crime Against Humanity" as well. If you kill one, or even thousands of the Guerrillas, this will only solidify there resolve, and, not to mention, add "Vengeance" to the equation. The Guerrilla or Guerrilla's you may kill have families, and friends. They too will take up arm's and continue the fight against their oppressors. It would be a never ending process as was the case in Vietnam, as I am sure you are aware of. That being said, There is no-actual way to completely eradicate a guerrilla army, But you may have a chance by removing the heads of their organization. Most likely they would be replaced even before the ones killed are even burried, But that would be the only "Chance" you may have at solving the problem, And that most likely would not even be effective. Hope this answers your question. God Bless America, And Our Troops! 1st. Sgt., 7th Special Forces, (Ret.) Vietnam, "67"-"70"

Cuba could probable be the closest element to a guerrilla military defeating a well known, properly equipped military. The Vietnam war replaced into fought with the help of a properly armed military from the North, and the U.S. withdrew their forces and stopped helping the South till now they collapsed. The communist military in China claimed to be a guerrilla military, yet have been funded with the help of the Soviets, and had a great properly armed military after international war 2. There are countless books on a thank you to salary a guerrilla war, which contains one with the help of Mao.

You have to fight fire with fire. There were several units in Vietnam that made good progress using guerilla tactics against the Vietnamese, but alas, overall, we got our butts handed to us, because the Generals and bureaucrats are still stuck in the old way of doing things, and wouldn't allow these units to teach other units how they were winning. It was basically a successful experiment that was never put into full-time use.

typical answers from dumb Americans. Thankfully you are all not the same.

"Round them up and put them in a field and BOMB THE BASTRDS" never ever got anywhere.

The asker might have overlooked one conflict

British vs. Malayan Commie Insurgents.

The Brits won that one by taking the long view, commitment to the long haul, rule of law, good governance. That and the SAS

By sending in special operations troops - aka Special Forces such as SEALs, Green Berets, SAS, French Foreign Legion 2nd REP, USMC Force Recon, etc.

This has to work hand in hand with "hearts & minds" programme, political & media support as well as "pacification"

just look at how Britain won Borneo Malaya Yemen and Oman.

The Mau Mau rebellion of Kenya was brutally crushed but it wasn't a popular revolt. Its mostly down to hearts and minds.

The best way is nukes, but that won't happen until the terrorists use them first. Sad. The next way is to continue the fight no matter what the critics and peaceniks say about it.