The Pros And Cons Of Total War

Throughout history, every conflict has fallen within a spectrum of warfare. This spectrum ranges from total to limited war. The period from 1792 to 1945 is sometimes characterized as an age of total war while the period since 1945 has been described as an era of limited war. While the overall trend has been away from total war, it is important to acknowledge that war as a human endeavor is ever changing. This inherent unpredictability leaves us with the possibility of reversing trends, especially as growth is a natural progression over time.

To understand the range warfare, the ideas of total and limited war must be defined. Although there is no doctrinal definition, total, or absolute war as coined by Carl von Clausewitz, is best captured

In the years leading up to the war, both countries had clashed politically which largely took the form of economic sanctions. These sanctions were implemented by the United States as a means to preclude the imperial expansion. In this sense, the United States was fighting a limited, albeit economic war. This changed as both countries reached a point of irreconcilable political differences, culminating in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The United States, surprised by the ferocity of the attack, saw Japan’s unconditional surrender as the only way forward. Industry rallied to produce ships, tanks, machine guns, and airplanes with which to fight. The civilian population volunteered en masse, supported by conscription. The sale of bonds began to finance the war as rationing was used to protect resources. Restraint was non-existent in each facet of the war, but especially in combat. This lack of restraint was epitomized by the United States decision to drop the atomic weapon on Japan as an attempt to end the war without invasion. In the words of Clausewitz, “there was no logical limit to the use of

The nuclear age lent itself toward indirect confrontation with irregular tactics. This resulted in several proxy wars occurring in countries like Afghanistan, Korea and, Vietnam. The Vietnam War began with small scale intervention. Kennedy’s doctrine of flexible response through U.S. Special Forces units was conceptualized as a limited form of warfare to deal with Communism. Over time however, doctrines would change as more troops and materials were sent as the rules of engagement expanded. The United States would eventually send millions to fight in Southeast Asia. The conflict itself however, stopped short of total