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Total war is a neologism to describe an international war in which countries or nations use all of their resources to destroy another organized country's or nation's
ability to engage in war. The practice of total war has been in use for centuries, but it was only in the middle to late nineteenth century that total war was recognized as a separate class of warfare. Total war is most easily distinguished from other forms of warfare through a blurring and combining of
strategy and grand
strategy.
Development of the concept of total war
There are several reasons for changing concept and recognition of total war in the nineteenth century. The main reason is
industrialization. As countries natural and capital
resources grew, it became clear that some forms of conflict demanded more resources
than others. For example, if the United States was to subdue a Native American tribe, it took much
fewer resources than waging a month of war during the American
Civil War. Consequently, the greater cost of warfare became evident. An industrialized nation could distinguish and then
choose the intensity of warfare that it wished to engage in.
This is also the same time when nations were fighting colonial wars. A country such as Britain
would have no need to mobilize troops, or begin rationing at home when fighting a
native enemy in Africa. But when Britain was fighting in the First World
War (note that this was not necessarily a fight for her life), a different form of warfare was needed. As such, strategies
(in the generic sense) needed to adapt to this new grand strategy.
Additionally, this is the time when warfare was becoming more mechanized. A factory in a city would have more to do with warfare than it did before. The factory itself would become a target, because it
contributed to the war effort. It follows as well that the factory's workers would also be targets.
Consequences of Total War
The most identifiable consequence of total war in modern times has been the inclusion of civilians as targets in destroying a country's ability to engage in war. 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 so called 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 military. Because wars were no
longer local affairs, soldiers had to be deployed globally. Additionally, a
navy could not be built overnight, and it had to be prepared for warfare. Standing armies and strong navies were the only way to ensure victories or prevent defeats before the
economy could be mobilized.
The final consequence of total war eventually became, ironically, an end to war between industrialized nations. After World War II, industrialized nations' ability to wage war between each other became
terribly destructive, and at the end of the 1950s, resulting in the development of MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction). With nuclear weapons, the conclusion of total war
became something that instead of taking years, such as in World War I, would instead take hours. Essentially, the consequences of
total war became so terrible for both sides in the conflict that no clear economic winner could emerge. The economic impetus for
open war directly between industrialized nations had ended.
Instead of wars fought directly between world powers, wars between industrialized nations were fought by proxy over national prestige,
tactical strategic advantage or colonial and neocolonial resources. Examples include the US war in Vietnam,
the Six Day War, and the Soviet War in Afghanistan.
Examples of Total Warfare Strategies
Punic Wars. During the Punic Wars, Rome and Carthage fought with navies and armies across several theatres. In the end, Rome destroyed the
city-state of Carthage, and destroying the empire's ability to wage war by enslaving or
committing genocide on the populace.
William Tecumseh Sherman's 'March to the Sea' during the USA's Civil War and his campaigns against
Native Americans both destroyed the resources required for the South to make war. He is considered one of the first military
commanders to use total war as a military tactic.
World War I. Almost the whole of Europe mobilized to conduct the war. Young men were removed from production jobs, and were replaced by women.
Rationing occurred on the home fronts.
World War II. In the Second World War, Britain and Germany made a distinct attempt to destroy the
other's ability to produce war materials. They did this by the use of strategic bombing campaigns upon each others' cities at night.
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