Different types of war

Types of War Although all wars are violent, not all wars are the same. In fact, there are many different types of wars, which can be classified according to which people actually fight, the intensity of the conflict, and the extent of combatants’ use of violence, among other factors.

Civil War

Guerilla War

Limited War

Revolutionary War

Total War

Proxy War

Intervention

Categorizing Wars A war can often be a limited war, a guerrilla war, and a civil war all at the same time. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 is a great example. The United States sent trainers, money, and weapons to Afghan rebels to fight against the invaders, making it a low- intensity, limited conflict from the U.S. point of view. The Afghan resistance mostly relied on guerrilla tactics. And the war split Afghanistan, so it was also a civil war.

Civil War Must be fought within the borders of one country. Population usually splits into two separate “camps”. Outside influences may play a large part in the war. Objectives are usually limited to specific goals regarding the control of the government and the country.

Civil War Civil wars are almost always total wars because each side feels compelled to destroy the enemy’s political support base. Regional rifts, such as the American Civil War between the North and the South, characterize some civil wars, whereas other civil wars have been fought among ethnic rivals, religious rivals, and rival clans. Revolutions can spark civil wars as well.

GuerRilla War Usually limited to one country or even one region. Not the official army of a state, but may be financed by an outside government. Objective is to cause damage to the enemy by striking key tactical targets. Undermining the confidence of the people in the government can also be goal. Guerilla soldiers are not just limited to young men.

Guerrilla War Guerrilla fighters usually seek to topple their government, often enjoying the support of the people. These wars are often very long but also tend to be successful for the insurgents as evidenced by Mao Zedong’s victory over Chiang Kai-shek in China in the 1940s, the Vietcong’s victory over the United States in the Vietnam War, and the Mujahideen’s victory over the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

Limited War Objective of the war is limited to specific goals and targets. Gaining land, protecting ones interest, removing an enemy threat. There is usually not a complete focus of the resources of the country in order to achieve the goal. The goal can be achieved without the complete destruction of the enemy.

Limited War Although the total of civilian casualties may be high, combatants do not seek to completely destroy the enemy’s social and economic frameworks. The Persian Gulf War of 1990–1991 was a limited war in which the United States and its allies forcibly removed Iraqi troops from Kuwait

Proxy War A proxy war is a war fought by third parties rather than by the enemy states themselves. Many of the militarized conflicts during the Cold War, such as the Korean War and the Vietnam War, can be interpreted as proxy wars between the United States and the Soviet Union, neither of which wanted to fight each other directly.

Revolutionary War The objective usually is the overthrow of the government. May initially involved a small part of the population, but may grow to involve a lager part of the population. Usually limited to one country, with the people of that country initiating the war. War does not involve other countries initially but they may get involved because of the consequences.

Intervention Intervention is a fairly common way for a third-party state to get involved in a civil war or a war between two or more other states. A state intervenes when it sends troops, arms, money, or goods to help another state that is already at war. During the Cold War, the term intervention was used to describe one of the superpowers becoming involved in a smaller country’s war (often a developing country). But states sometimes intervene in order to bring peace. This type of intervention occurs when a country (or countries) sends military forces into another state to act as peacekeepers or to block other forces from attacking. Sometimes these interventions are organized or conducted by the United Nations or another international governmental organization.

Example The United States, along with other NATO nations, sent troops into the former Yugoslavia on a number of occasions to protect people from war. A successful example of this peaceful intervention occurred during the 1999 U.S. bombing campaign in Kosovo, which helped stop a slaughter of Kosovars by attacking Serbs. A less successful example was the U.S. intervention in Somalia in the early 1990s, an attempt to provide humanitarian aid that ultimately achieved little at the cost of American lives. This failed intervention culminated in the Battle of Mogadishu (dramatized in the movie Black Hawk Down [2001]) October 3–4, 1993, which killed eighteen Americans and as many as a thousand Somalis.  

Total War A war in which all available resources of weapons and personnel are employed; a war conducted without scruple or limitation.

Total War The objective of a total war is the complete and total destruction of the enemy. As a result all the industrial resources and man (woman) power of the country are focused on this goal. The victory is achieved by any means possible.

Consequences of Total War The most identifiable consequence of total war in modern times has been the inclusion of civilians and civilian infrastructure as targets in destroying a country's ability to engage in war.

The targeting of civilians developed from two distinct theories The targeting of civilians developed from two distinct theories. The first theory was that if enough civilians were killed, factories could not function. The second theory was that if civilians were killed, the country would be so demoralized that it would have no ability to wage further war.

Total war also resulted in the mobilization of the home front Total war also resulted in the mobilization of the home front. Propaganda became a required component of total war in order to boost production and maintain morale. Rationing took place to provide more material for waging war.

Another consequence was the expansion of the peace time military Another consequence was the expansion of the peace time military. A navy could not be built overnight, and it had to be large enough to fight any potential enemy. This led to the dreadnought arms race before World War I. To justify the huge expenditure, populations had to become accustomed to thinking of the most likely potential enemy, as an enemy, which helped to foster war hysteria and jingoism.

Large standing armies for countries with land borders close to a potential enemy and strong navies for maritime powers were the only way to prevent defeat before the economy could be mobilized.

Total War and World War One Almost the whole of Europe mobilized to conduct World War I. Young men were removed from production jobs, and were replaced by women. Rationing occurred on the home fronts.

One of the features of Total War in Britain was the use of propaganda posters to divert all attention to the War on the home front. Posters were used to influence people's decision on what to eat, what occupations to take (Women were used as nurses and in munitions factories), and to change the attitude of support towards the war effort.

As young men left the farms for the front, domestic food production in Britain and Germany fell. In Britain the response was to import more food, which was done despite the German introduction of unrestricted submarine warfare, and to introduce rationing.

The Royal Navy's blockade of German ports prevented Germany from importing food, and the Germans failed to introduce food rationing. German capitulation was hastened in 1918 by the worsening food crises in Germany.

Casualties of World War One

Casualties of the Allied Powers

Casualties of the Central Powers

The financial cost of the war is said to have amounted to almost $38 billion for Germany alone, Austria-Hungary $20 billion.  Britain spent $35 billion, France $24 billion, Russia $22 billion, USA $22 billion and In total the war cost the Allies around $125 billion; the Central Powers $60 billion.

Sources Excerpted from The Oxford Interactive Encyclopedia. Developed by The Learning Company, Inc. Copyright (c) 1997 TLC Properties Inc. All rights reserved. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_war#Development_of_the_concep t_of_Total_War http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/balkan_causes.htm