Understanding Modern Warfare

Introduction

War is practised in many different environments and contexts. While this has always been the case, the modern period has witnessed a growing complexity to warfare. In the twentieth century the air, space and cyberspace environments took their place as theatres of war alongside the traditional environments of land and sea. With each new environment of warfare come distinct features, challenges and opportunities for the commander to deal with. In addition to these new arenas, the invention of nuclear weapons presented a severe challenge for those involved in using military force in the service of policy objectives. However, the twentieth century was not just about the ‘new’. Older forms of warfare also underwent substantial developments. Irregular warfare witnessed a degree of theoretical and practical maturation through the works and careers of men such as Mao and Robert Thompson. At the same time, regular forms of warfare have had to adapt to new technology and an increasingly joint approach. Finally, political and social developments have added to the challenges faced by commanders. In an age of ubiquitous social media, legal and moral restrictions on the use of force are more readily applied and upheld.

This book will explore the significance of the above changes to the character of war. Yet, despite the seeming novelty of warfare in the modern period, the very essence of war has remained the same. Across time and place, although the character of war has altered, its nature has remained constant. At the heart of that nature is politics. War is a violent political activity. Regardless of the specific context, each war has a guiding policy rationale. Ensuring that military means serve policy ends effectively is the realm of strategy. Each particular form of warfare, whether acting in isolation or operating in concert with others, must be guided by strategy: the process that ensures war has dynamic purpose.