What is the difference between a limited war and a total war?
Limited war and total war are two different types of warfare that vary in terms of their objectives, scale, and the level of violence involved.
Limited war:
1. Limited war refers to a conflict in which the participating countries or groups have specific, defined objectives and seek to achieve those objectives without aiming to completely destroy the enemy or cause widespread devastation.
2. It typically involves the use of military force in a restrained manner and is often characterized by restricted rules of engagement, such as not targeting civilians or civilian infrastructure.
3. Limited wars are usually fought with the intention of achieving specific political, territorial, or economic goals, rather than seeking total victory over the enemy.
Total war:
1. Total war, on the other hand, refers to a conflict in which the participating countries or groups mobilize all their resources - including military, economic, and civilian - towards achieving complete victory over the enemy, often at any cost.
2. It involves unrestricted warfare in which all aspects of society are mobilized and targeted, including civilians and infrastructure, in order to weaken the enemy's ability to resist.
3. Total wars are typically fought with the aim of achieving total victory and the unconditional surrender of the enemy, with little regard for the human or material costs involved.
In summary, the main difference between limited war and total war lies in the scale and intensity of the conflict, as well as the objectives and approaches of the warring parties. Limited wars are characterized by specific, defined objectives and restrained use of force, while total wars involve massive mobilization of resources and unrestricted warfare to achieve complete victory.