Lessons From Contemporary Wars

Paper Summary:

This essay provides an extensive analysis of contemporary conflicts. It examines the nature of guerrilla warfare and how it can negate the technological superiority of larger states. It studies the tactical lessons drawn from individual conflicts and the changing roles of the army, navy and air force, as well as the importance of effective combined arms. It also studies modern warfare from a political viewpoint, the role of the media and the ability of the United Nations to secure a stable international environment.

From the Paper:

"The conflicts of the past twenty-five years have been notable for their range and variety. Few corners of the globe have been left untouched; the recent terrorist attacks in New York and Washington have even brought conflict to America's doorstep, and only the continent of Australasia has remained relatively unscathed. Furthermore, the types of conflict have been as varied as they have been widespread, including wars of nationalism, revenge, territorial acquisition, ideology and humanitarian intervention. These wars have manifested themselves in a variety of different ways, from old-style trench warfare seemingly copied straight out of the First World War, to high-precision bombing campaigns, where the attackers are almost completely removed from the battlefield, and experience few, if any, casualties. Therefore, it is difficult to generalize about the lessons derived from these wars. This period has been dominated by the decline and fall of the Soviet Union, and few conflicts have occurred, even a decade later, which have not been affected by the legacy of the Cold War. Formerly suppressed nationalism has been released, reviving age-old tensions in the former Yugoslavia, and sparking many civil wars across Africa, whilst the Soviet Union's demise has caused the United States and her allies to look elsewhere for enemies to fill the Soviet gap, particularly the Middle-East, and potentially China. Meanwhile, many believe that the United States is going through a 'revolution in military affairs', heralded by her victories over Iraq and the Taliban Alliance. However, neither victory proved her ability to defeat a popular, irregular army: Iraq deployed a conventional force, whilst the Taliban had little local support, and had to fight against the Northern Alliance as well. Thus, the Soviet experience in Afghanistan, and the Russian experience in Chechnya, still provide important lessons for the future."

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