Key Takeaways
- Total war is a war fought without limitations on targets or weapons.
- Ideological or religious conflicts are more likely to give rise to total war.
- Total wars have occurred throughout history and include the third Punic War, the Mongol Invasions, the Crusades and the two World Wars.
What is the true meaning of Total War?
total war, military conflict in which the contenders are willing to make any sacrifice in lives and other resources to obtain a complete victory, as distinguished from limited war. Throughout history, limitations on the scope of warfare have been more economic and social than political.
What was wrong with Total War?
in most total war games vassals can not deny the rulling clans demand to go to war withought it automaticly forcing them to declare war on the ruler. ... Nothing wrong here. x) exactly lol. dude was an oppurtunist While opportunist he still always had reasonable excuse for his actions. Ever noticed how powerful people around him always seemed ...
What is the difference between war and Total War?
- Participants in total war are seeking the unconditional surrender.
- Participants in total war are willing to use any means neccesart to win (even if it violates the rules of war)
- Participants in total war expect citizens to contribute to war effort.
What is Total War and who used it?
Total war is a strategy in which militaries use any means necessary to win, including those considered morally or ethically wrong in the context of warfare. The goal is not only to decimate but to demoralize the enemy beyond recovery so that they are unable to continue fighting. Total war is a war fought without limitations on targets or weapons.
What is the best definition of total war?
Total war is a type of warfare that includes any and all civilian-associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets, mobilizes all of the resources of society to fight the war, and gives priority to warfare over non-combatant needs.
What is meant by the term total war quizlet?
Total War is when the entire resources and population are mobilized towards the war effort,which takes priority over everything else. Further, Total War also involves prosecuting the war against the entire population of the enemy, not just against its military.
What is the definition of total war in ww1?
"Total war" includes four things: Mobilization, refusal to compromise, the blurring of roles between soldier and civilians, and total control of society. In many ways World War I was total war. There had never been a war that was so widely devastating.
What does total war mean in the Civil War?
The American Civil War has been classified by some historians as a “total war." Total war is defined as “a war that is unrestricted in terms of the weapons used, the territory or combatants involved, or the objectives pursued.” The war was not only fought on distant battlefields in which soldiers remained widely ...
What is an example of total war?
Total war is a war fought without limitations on targets or weapons. Ideological or religious conflicts are more likely to give rise to total war. Total wars have occurred throughout history and include the third Punic War, the Mongol Invasions, the Crusades and the two World Wars.
Why was World War I called a total war quizlet?
World War 1 became a total war for those involved meaning that each country focused all of their resources towards the war. In Great Britain a military draft was instituted and in Germany civilians were forced to work on government projects. Another part of a total war is controlling public opinion about the war.
What is total war AP world history?
Total War. War that requires each country involved to mobilize its entire population in the effort to defeat the enemy. Treaty of Versailles.
What is total war ww2?
Key Points. Total war, such as World War I and World War II, mobilizes all of the resources of society (industry, finance, labor, etc.) to fight the war. It also expands the targets of war to include any and all civilian-associated resources and infrastructure.
Why were WWI and II called total wars?
Why are World Wars I and II called "total wars"? They were labled total wars because they were unrestriced in terms of weapons used, the territory or combatant involved, or the obejctives pursued, esp. one in which the laws of war are disreguarded.
What is an example of total war in the Civil War?
Union soldiers destroying telegraph poles and railroads, and freeing slaves, who are assisting Union soldiers in making their way to safety. The Civil War mobilized American resources on a scale only matched in WWII. It brought unparalleled destruction to many people.
Was the Civil War the first total war?
But as the war dragged on, the Civil War became history's first total war, a war in which the Union sought the Confederacy's total defeat and unconditional surrender.
How do you use total war in a sentence?
How to use Total-war in a sentenceDespite his strong distaste for war, Lincoln was not afraid to wage total war to achieve total victory. ... The total war strength of the cavalry is 54 regiments (210 squadrons); 1580 officers, 26,800 men, 21,900 horses.More items...
What is total war?
Total war is warfare that includes any and all civilian -associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets, mobilizes all of the resources of society to fight the war, and gives priority to warfare over non-combatant needs. The term has been defined as "A war that is unrestricted in terms of the weapons used, ...
What was the first concept of total war?
In his book, The First Total War: Napoleon's Europe and the Birth of Warfare as We Know it, David A Bell, a French History professor at Princeton University argues that the French Revolutionary Wars introduced to mainland Europe some of the first concepts of total war, such as mass conscription. He claims that the new republic found itself threatened by a powerful coalition of European nations and used the entire nation's resources in an unprecedented war effort that included levée en masse (mass conscription). By August 23, 1793, the French front line forces grew to some 800,000 with a total of 1.5 million in all services—the first time an army in excess of a million had been mobilized in Western history:
What did Carl Schmitt mean by total war?
Carl Schmitt, a supporter of Nazi Germany, wrote that total war meant "total politics"— authoritarian domestic policies that imposed direct control of the press and economy. In Schmitt's view the total state, which directs fully the mobilization of all social and economic resources to war, is antecedent to total war.
What were the features of the total war?
One of the features of total war in Britain was the use of government propaganda posters to divert all attention to the war on the home front. Posters were used to influence public opinion about what to eat and what occupations to take, and to change the attitude of support towards the war effort. Even the Music Hall was used as propaganda, with propaganda songs aimed at recruitment.
Why were T-34 tanks unpainted?
During the Battle of Stalingrad, newly built T-34 tanks were driven—unpainted because of a paint shortage—from the factory floor straight to the front. This came to symbolise the USSR's commitment to the World War II and demonstrated the government's total war policy.
How did the Mongols practice total war?
As an aggressor nation, the ancient Mongols, no less than the modern Nazis, practiced total war against an enemy by organizing all available resources, including military personnel, non-combatant workers, intelligence, transport, money, and provisions.
Why does the differentiation between combatants and non-combatants diminish?
In a total war, the differentiation between combatants and non-combatants diminishes due to the capacity of opposing sides to consider nearly every human, including non-combatants, as resources that are used in the war effort.
What is total war?
Total war is a war fought without limitations on targets or weapons. Ideological or religious conflicts are more likely to give rise to total war. Total wars have occurred throughout history and include the third Punic War, the Mongol Invasions, the Crusades and the two World Wars.
What is the purpose of total war?
The purpose is to destroy the other contender’s resources so that they are unable to continue to wage war. This might include targeting major infrastructure and blocking access to water, internet, or imports (often through blockades).
How many people died in the Napoleonic Wars?
During the Napoleonic Wars that followed the revolution, it is estimated that approximately five million people died over the twenty-year period. During this time, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte became known for his savagery. People March Thru Georgia Following Sherman. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images.
What was Khan's largest invasion?
One of the best examples of Khan’s use of this type of warfare is his largest invasion, which was against the Khwarazmian Empire. He sent hundreds of thousands of troops across the empire to kill the citizens without discrimination and enslave others to be used as human shields in later battles.
How do tribal wars incorporate aspects of total war?
Smaller conflicts across the globe, such as tribal wars, incorporate aspects of total war by kidnapping, enslaving, and killing civilians. This deliberate targeting of civilians elevates less expansive wars to the level of total war.
What was the end of nuclear war?
The practice of total war, however, largely ended with World War II, as nuclear war assured mutually assured destruction. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States showed the apocalyptic possibilities of total nuclear war. Five years after this event, the International Humanitarian Law outlawed any weapons that were indiscriminate (and though nuclear weapons are not explicitly mentioned, many agree they are prohibited under this clause).
When did total war start?
Some of the earliest and most significant examples of total war occurred in the Middle Ages, during the Crusades, a series of holy wars fought in the 11th century. During this period, it is estimated that over one million people were killed.
What is total war?
Total War Defined. Total war is the most extreme form of warfare, one where any action or behavior is acceptable to stop or conquer an enemy. In a normal war, on the other hand, soldiers fight other soldiers and do what they can, within reason, to protect the enemy's families and property. In total war, soldiers can be seen as a liability.
Why is total war important?
By taking away their ability to fight, it's believed that practicing total war will make it easier to defeat one's enemies. The warfare conducted by ancient civilizations, such as Persia or Rome, and the modern warfare conducted by the Nazis during World War II are both good examples of total warfare. To unlock this lesson you must be ...
How did the Allies respond to World War II?
The Allies of World War II responded with total war themselves when they were bombing Germany. Later, the U.S. bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan with atomic weapons, incinerating tens of thousands of people and hurting many more through the lasting effects of radiation. Lesson Summary.
What was the German attack on Britain?
Germany also attacked any ships going to and from the British Isles. The Battle of Britain was another example of total war: the German Air Force indiscriminately bombed London and neighboring areas, threatening civilians. The Allies of World War II responded with total war themselves when they were bombing Germany.
What were some examples of total war?
In ancient times, total war was often the norm. The Persians razed cities while they were creating their empire, and so too did the Egyptians, Assyrians, and Babylonians. All four empires regularly punished all new conquests with extremely high tributes and massacred those who dared to revolt.
Can soldiers be taken prisoner in total war?
In total war, soldiers can be seen as a liability. If they surrender, they don't have to be taken prisoner ; they can be killed. That way they can't escape later and rejoin their comrades.
Is everyone considered the enemy in total war?
Ultimately, everyone is considered the enemy in total war . Civilians and soldiers alike are targets. Civilians may even be randomly captured and killed just to demonstrate the resolve of the combatants.
What is total war?
Total war is warfare by any means possible, disregarding the laws of war, placing no limits on legitimate military targets, using weapons and tactics resulting in significant civilian casualties, or demanding a war effort requiring significant sacrifices by the friendly civilian population.
What is war characterized by?
It is generally characterized by extreme violence, aggression, destruction, and mortality, using regular or irregular military forces. Warfare refers to the common activities and characteristics of types of war, or of wars in general.
What happens to the nations after a war ends?
In certain cases, land is ceded to the victorious nations. For example, the territory of Alsace-Lorraine has been traded between France and Germany on three different occasions.
What are the effects of war?
War usually results in significant deterioration of infrastructure and the ecosystem, a decrease in social spending, famine, large-scale emigration from the war zone, and often the mistreatment of prisoners of war or civilians.
What is the deadliest war in history?
The deadliest war in history, in terms of the cumulative number of deaths since its start, is World War II, from 1939 to 1945, with 60–85 million deaths, followed by the Mongol conquests at up to 60 million. As concerns a belligerent's losses in proportion to its prewar population, the most destructive war in modern history may have been the Paraguayan War (see Paraguayan War casualties ). In 2013 war resulted in 31,000 deaths, down from 72,000 deaths in 1990. In 2003, Richard Smalley identified war as the sixth biggest problem (of ten) facing humanity for the next fifty years. War usually results in significant deterioration of infrastructure and the ecosystem, a decrease in social spending, famine, large-scale emigration from the war zone, and often the mistreatment of prisoners of war or civilians. For instance, of the nine million people who were on the territory of the Byelorussian SSR in 1941, some 1.6 million were killed by the Germans in actions away from battlefields, including about 700,000 prisoners of war, 500,000 Jews, and 320,000 people counted as partisans (the vast majority of whom were unarmed civilians). Another byproduct of some wars is the prevalence of propaganda by some or all parties in the conflict, and increased revenues by weapons manufacturers.
What are tangible and intangible war aims?
Tangible/intangible aims: Tangible war aims may involve (for example) the acquisition of territory (as in the German goal of Lebensraum in the first half of the 20th century) or the recognition of economic concessions (as in the Anglo-Dutch Wars ).
What type of war was the Australian 4th Division?
Main article: Types of war. Soldiers of the Australian 4th Division equipped for chemical warfare in WWI, Ypres sector, 1917. Asymmetric warfare is a conflict between belligerents of drastically different levels of military capability or size.
Overview
Total war is a type of warfare that includes any and all civilian-associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets, mobilizes all of the resources of society to fight the war, and gives priority to warfare over non-combatant needs.
The term has been defined as "A war that is unrestricted in terms of the weapo…
Characteristics
According to an analysis by Tiziano Peccia of Stig Förster's works, total war is characterized on four dimensions:
1) Total purposes (aim of continuous growth of the power of the parties involved and hegemonic visions);
2) Total methods (similar and common methodologies among countries that intend to increase …
Background
The phrase "total war" can be traced back to the 1935 publication of German general Erich Ludendorff's World War I memoir, Der totale Krieg ("The total war"). Some authors extend the concept back as far as classic work of Carl von Clausewitz, On War, as "absoluter Krieg" (absolute war), even-though he did not use the term; others interpret Clausewitz differently. Total war also describes the French "guerre à outrance" during the Franco-Prussian War.
History
Written by academics at Eastern Michigan University, the Cengage Advantage Books: World History textbook claims that while total war "is traditionally associated with the two global wars of the twentieth century... it would seem that instances of total war predate the twentieth century." They write:
As an aggressor nation, the ancient Mongols, no less than the modern Nazis, p…
Present day
Since the end of World War II, no industrial nation has fought such a large, decisive war. This is likely due to the availability of nuclear weapons, whose destructive power and quick deployment render a full mobilization of a country's resources such as in World War II logistically impractical and strategically irrelevant.
By the end of the 1950s, the ideological stand-off of the Cold War between the Western world and t…
Further reading
• Barnhart, Michael A. Japan prepares for total war: The search for economic security, 1919–1941 (Cornell UP, 2013).
• Baylis, John; Wirtz, James J.; and Gray, Colin S., eds. (2012), Strategy in the Contemporary World (4, illustrated ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 55, ISBN 978-0-19-969478-5
• Bell, David A. (2007), The First Total War: Napoleon's Europe and the Birth of Warfare as We Know It
External links
• Israel's 1948 War of Independence as a Total War
• A collection of papers relating to the Sullivan Expedition
• Daniel Marc Segesser: Controversy: Total War, in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War.