| < | 
| Active terms and expressions |
| war | |
| world war | |
| civil war | |
| cold war | |
| limited war | |
| nuclear war | |
| international war | |
| wage a war v. | |
| warfare | 䳿; |
| guerrilla warfare | ; 䳿 |
| total warfare | |
| defensive warfare | 䳿 |
| psychological warfare | |
| conflict | |
| insurrection | ; |
| confrontation | ; |
| revolution | |
| coups detat | ( ) |
| terrorism | |
| armed conflict | |
| rebellion | |
| maintain law and order v. | |
| hostilities | 䳿; |
| armed strength | ; |
| treaty | |
| peace proclamation | |
| religious conflict | |
| defeat an enemy v. | |
| strategy | |
| tactics | |
| battle | |
| naval battle | |
| combat | |
| aerial combat | |
| logistics | - (); |
| troops | |
| supplies | |
| offense | |
| offensive n., adj. | ; |
| offensive actions | 䳿 |
| defense | |
| defensive | |
| propaganda | |
| bombardment | |
| forces | |
| combatant forces | |
| nuclear explosive device | () |
| tactical nuclear weapons | |
| aircraft carrier | |
| heavy bomber | |
| nuclear explosion | |
| nuclear warheads | |
| intercontinental ballistic missile (icbm) | () |
| icbm |
*****
| the nature of modern warfare | / |
| carry on war on a large scale by land, sea, or air v. | 䳿 , |
| maintain a small standing army v. | |
| tactical judgment | (); () |
| leadership | |
| continuous supplies | |
| on the battlefield |
| & | 
| Prepare translation of the main text |
The Nature of War and Warfare
General
According to international law, war is a state of open, armed, often prolonged conflict carried on between nations, states, or parties[9]. Likewise, the term warfare is understood as the use of force on the part of two or more nations or other organized groups for the purpose of deciding disputes that cannot be settled by diplomatic means.
|
|
|
Warfare takes a variety of forms besides organized military confrontations insurrections, revolutions, coups detat, guerrilla warfare, and terrorism.
When armed conflicts assume global proportions, they are known as world wars [10]. War between different parts or factions of the same nation is called civil war. A state of war can also exist without actual recourse to arms, such as the cold war.
A rebellion is not legally considered a war because the rebels must have the power to maintain law and order within the regions occupied by them and carry on war on a large scale by land, sea, or air.
International hostilities sometimes continue for long periods of time without being acknowledged as wars. For instance, The Korean War was regarded by the U.S. government as a police action. Conflicts or wars in which major powers purposely refrain from employing all their armed strength are often known as limited wars. Limited wars are recognized as a preferable alternative to nuclear wars.
International wars are generally terminated by a treaty, and civil wars by a peace proclamation.
The military institutions of a nation and the way it wages war are determined principally by its form of government, social structure, economic strength, and geographical position. For example, before World War II, the United States, taking advantage of its isolated geographical positions, maintained only a small standing army and depended on its navy and that of Britain.
Causes of Warfare
Warfare is employed to bring about or to resist political, social, or economic changes. History provides evidence of such tangible, and frequently interrelated, causes as religious conflict, protection of dynastic succession, or acquisition of territory. War for acquisition of land is directly related to the necessity of providing food for a nation or a group. Wars are also often linked to a desire for security, on the theory that a so-called first strike prevents an enemy from carrying out threats. According to some much disputed theories, such as those of the Austrian zoologist Konrad Lorenz, innate aggressive drives are responsible for human beings' frequent recourse to warfare.
