Domestic disturbances : field manual electronic resource

Under extreme circumstances, U.S. military force may be turned against American civilians. An unusually explicit 1945 U.S. military field manual (pdf) described tactics for suppressing riots or protests when State and local officials are unable to control the situation. “Domestic disturbances are manifestations of civil unrest or tension which take the form of demonstrations or rioting. These public demonstrations or riots may reach such proportions that civil authorities cannot maintain law and order by usual methods. Such disturbances may be caused by agitators, racial strife, controversies between employees and employers concerning wages or working conditions, unemployment, lack of housing or food, or other economic or social conditions.”

The manual, which was originally classified “Restricted,” has long been deemed obsolete and has been superseded by other guidance on military support to civil authorities. It was recently digitized by the Combined Arms Research Library at Fort Leavenworth. See “Domestic Disturbances,” Field Manual 19-15, War Department, July 1945.