Mountain Warfare

Mountain Warfare

From This Means War by Peter Roberts

November 3, 2025 · 45 min · Season 6 · Episode 7

About this episode

This episode explores the significance of mountain warfare and the strategic advantages of controlling the high ground in military conflicts.

A long held military truism is about commanding the high ground in any fight: often regarded as a precursor to victory. In the days of digital evangelism, much is made of this tenet in a metaphorical sense: there are claims that controlling the digital high ground will guarantee success. But warfare continues to require operating and fighting in physical terrain. In recent conflicts, few forces have been able to avoid fighting in mountains: the prevailing forces usually exploit mountains as the literal high ground. In the Kargil War, Nagorno-Karabakh, Kashmir, Afghanistan, and in Ukraine, as well as in resistance operations by the Kurds, mountain warfare has been a significant feature in fighting. Mountain warfare involves mobility (skiing, snowshoeing, dogs, mules, sledges, et al), mountaineering (ascending, roped or free climbing, traverses, rappelling, etc), cold weather survival (including avalanche preparation), and operating at height. It is also warfare: the requirements are not simply surviving and operating in cold weather or high environments but to contest, challenge, and fight in these conditions. Warfare in such environments cannot simply be bases and patrols, they…

People in this episode

Host: Peter Roberts

Topics covered

  • mountain warfare
  • high ground
  • cold weather survival
  • combat operations
  • military strategy

Keywords

  • mountain warfare
  • high ground
  • Kargil War
  • cold weather
  • combat operations
  • military strategy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Kurds

Places: Kargil War, Nagorno-Karabakh, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Ukraine

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