Eli5: Why is Urban warfare feared as the most difficult form of warfare for a military to conduct?
In: 1719
Because it’s really hard and bloody at the best of times and that is only if you really don’t care about damage to the surrounding buildings and people in them. If you do… well that it’s all those things plus almost impossible.
Look, Urban centers are a nightmare offensively. You have many buildings, all of which could be anything from empty to filled with civilians to filled with enemies to literally just wired up with explosives waiting for your soldiers to walk in. Battles stop being “The Battle of Big Field” or “The Battle of Hill XYZ” they become “battle over that random factory” or “battle of steve’s mum’s house”. An endless string of battles over every single building, every street and probably even the freaking sewer system. A relentless, grinding conflict that can stretch out for years in some cases.
Plus let’s keep in mind that cities are *densely populated by civilians* who almost never leave totally. So on top of trying to do battle with your enemy you also have a bunch of random people who most militaries would prefer not to massacre but who end up getting killed en-masse because war is a messy business. Those civilians may just do their best to not get killed, but there is also plenty of examples of civilians joining the fight. It’s not at all unthinkable that a soldier could think they are safe after clearing a house and finding only women and children in there only for one of the women to plant a kitchen knife in their back. People don’t like invaders and most will take the opportunity if presented to strike back.
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