The Devil's Gardens: a History of Landmines

Military Review, Nov-Dec, 2004 by Stephen R. Spulick

THE DEVIL'S GARDENS: A History of Landmines, Lydia Monin and Andrew Gallimore, Pimlico, distributed by Trafalgar Square, North Pomfret, VT, 2002, 234 pages, $19.95.

Based on a television documentary series, The Devil's Gardens: A History of Landmines explores the modern mine's history and the current state of a world gone mad with mine laying. The unintended damage from mines takes many forms, from the loss of agricultural land to maiming and death. Mines can last years beyond their original military intent and this weighs heavily against their intended use. The authors include many examples of mines causing accidental damage to civilians along with far fewer examples of successful and appropriate uses of mines.

The Ottawa Treaty (the convention on the prohibition of using, stockpiling, producing, and transferring antipersonnel mines and on their destruction); Princess Diana's support of de-mining efforts; the International Campaign to Ban Landmines; and the efforts of several other organizations have created pressure to rid the world of antipersonnel and antiarmor mines. Progress is slow because landmines are inexpensive; can be manufactured or acquired easily and quickly; require no monitoring, feeding, or other support; and can be buried and left. The Ottawa Treaty does not cover the use of scatterable mines, which can cover a vast area quickly; be placed on top of the earth or deep in sand and soil; and remain dangerous as unexploded ordnance long after their delivery.

During the Cold War, the superpowers participated, sometimes surreptitiously, in many battles (Vietnam, Cambodia, Nicaragua, Mozambique, and Bosnia-Herzegovina) and generously supplied all sides with military aid, including mines. In many areas mine warfare is replacing massed armies facing each other across vast plains.

Mines are inexpensive force multipliers and easy to forget when the conflict is over. Too often, minefields have not been well marked, and when the fighting dies down, neither side has any idea of the extent of the mining that was done.

The United States leads the world in smart-mine technology. Smart mines use batteries and timers that eventually run down and render mines useless. Sensors allow them to be remotely activated and deactivated. In fact, the United States will not sign the Ottawa Treaty until an effective smart mine has been developed; however, the United States' determination not to sign the Ottawa Treaty has been criticized worldwide.

The book presents several vignettes on mine production, mine warfare's psychological effects, and the physical effects caused by stepping on a landmine. The authors provide several photographs of amputees, but there are no photographs showing the immediate effects of a mine blast.

The book poses many questions regarding the irresponsible use and proliferation of mines and provides a ray of hope that treaties and de-mining campaigns will end the landmine devastation of innocent civilians.

CPT Stephen R. Spulick, USA, Schwetzingen, Germany