A book examining Azerbaijan’s victory in the 44-day Patriotic War of 2020, written by retired US Army Colonel Liam Collins and retired Major John Spencer, was presented in Baku on November 3.
The presentation of *The War for Karabakh: Strategy, Technology, and Victory* was jointly organized by the Center for Analysis of International Relations and Multiculturalism and the Baku Book Center, News.az reports.
The event brought together discussions on the military and strategic dimensions of Azerbaijan’s victory, its implications for modern warfare, and the national capabilities that contributed to the outcome of the conflict.
The authors explained that the book took approximately
The authors explained that the book took approximately two years to complete and involved extensive research into the military operations, strategic planning and decision-making processes that shaped the 44-day war.
Speaking at the presentation, Collins emphasized that Azerbaijan’s victory was not solely the result of its use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), but reflected more than two decades of strategic preparation.
“Undoubtedly, drones played their role. However, victory in the war was the result of implementing a strategy spanning more than 20 years aimed at liberating Karabakh, as well as creating, developing and employing armed forces capable of accomplishing that mission,” Collins said.
He stressed that military success depended
He stressed that military success depended on the effective integration of technological capabilities, long-term strategic planning and the development of professional armed forces.
Spencer, an internationally recognized specialist in urban warfare, similarly argued that technology alone does not determine the outcome of armed conflicts.
“Wars are not won by technology. The key is making the right decisions under stress, often without knowing what the consequences of those decisions will be,” he said.
According to Spencer, the authors conducted extensive field
According to Spencer, the authors conducted extensive field research, visiting former battlefields and interviewing military personnel ranging from division commanders to individual soldiers.
“We have visited the region more than six times. My first visit was in 2021 to study the Battle of Shusha. It was the decisive battle that secured Azerbaijan’s victory,” Spencer said.
He explained that the researchers subsequently returned to other battlefields to better understand the terrain, operational circumstances and decisions made during the fighting.
The authors also placed particular emphasis on reconstructing
The authors also placed particular emphasis on reconstructing military operations through detailed maps, examining how simultaneous battles across different directions influenced the overall course of the war.
Spencer noted that some Armenian defensive positions were relatively strong and should have provided certain military advantages. Nevertheless, he argued that human effort, leadership and battlefield decisions ultimately determined the outcome.
The book represents one of the first extensive military studies of Azerbaijan’s 2020 victory prepared by foreign military specialists, including researchers associated with the United States Military Academy at West Point.
The publication covers the historical background
The publication covers the historical background of the Karabakh conflict, the First Karabakh War, Azerbaijan’s long-term military preparations, the 2020 campaign and subsequent military and political developments, including the September 2023 military operation.
Separate chapters examine Azerbaijan’s grand strategy, Operation Iron Fist and major military operations in Hadrut, Amirvarli, Fuzuli, Zangilan, Gubadli and Shusha.
One of the book’s central arguments challenges the widespread interpretation that Azerbaijan’s victory was primarily the result of drone warfare.
Instead, the authors identify a broader combination
Instead, the authors identify a broader combination of factors, including economic development, military modernization, institutional capacity, effective leadership and coordinated operations involving different branches of the armed forces.
The research also examines modern combined-arms warfare, including concealment, dispersion of forces, small-unit maneuverability, suppression of enemy fire and coordination between different military formations.
Particular attention is given to the battles for Hadrut and Shusha, which the authors analyze as important examples of military operations in complex urban and mountainous environments.
The book examines the planning of these operations,
The book examines the planning of these operations, the use of terrain, troop movement routes and tactical decisions made under battlefield conditions.
The authors also compare the operations in Hadrut and Shusha with urban warfare experiences in Gaza, Iraq, Vietnam and Ukraine, highlighting the importance of operational planning and the protection of civilian infrastructure.
According to the research, the recapture of Hadrut and Shusha demonstrated how military objectives could be achieved in challenging conditions without extensive destruction of urban areas.
The publication also examines the role of Azerbaijani
The publication also examines the role of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as Supreme Commander-in-Chief, particularly in strategic decision-making, wartime communication and efforts to counter disinformation.
The researchers argue that Azerbaijan’s military achievements reflected national capabilities developed over many years, including economic real modernization and national mobilization
Approximately 100 military and civilian specialists were interviewed during the preparation of the book. The authors also conducted on-site examinations of major battlefields to reconstruct events using firsthand accounts, operational maps and terrain analysis.
Following the presentation, Collins and Spencer participated in a media briefing.
Collins is director of the Madison Policy Forum,
Collins is director of the Madison Policy Forum, a senior fellow with New America’s Future Security Program and a distinguished military fellow at the Middle East Institute. A retired US Army Special Forces colonel, he previously served in a senior advisory role related to Ukraine’s defense reforms and holds graduate degrees from Princeton University.
Spencer is chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point and co-director of the Urban Warfare Project. He served more than 25 years in the US Army, including two combat deployments to Iraq, and specializes in the study of contemporary urban military operations.
