War

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Revision as of 14:21, 1 April 2007 by imported>David Marcoe (→‎Competing Definitions: Changed the section title, as we already have a primary definition and to reflect a broader concept of differing ideas of war's nature, including basic definitions.)
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War is a state of violent conflict which exists between two or more independent groups, each seeking to impose its will on the other. This is facilitated by the use of military force, or the organized application of violence toward the destruction of the enemy's manpower and materiel, so as to disrupt their means of fighting and ultimately break their will to fight, thus leading to the cessation of hostilities. These conditions are generally defined as victory.

Differing Philosophies

History of War

Causes of War

References

  • Freedman, Lawrence (ed.), War, London:Oxford University Press, 1994. ISBN 0192892541.
  • Holsti, Kalevi, War, the State, and the State of War, Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 1996. ISBN 052157790X.
  • U. S. Marine Corps Staff. 1989. Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 1: Warfighting. 116 pp. ISBN 1557423091.
  • Waltz, Kenneth, Man, The State, and War. A Theoretical Analysis, New York:Columbia University Press, 1959. ISBN 0231085648.