Old and New Wars (M. Madej)

Question 1

Old wars

Answer 1

essentially European concept and ‘invention’ in the ’Westphalian era’

Question 2

sociopolitical factors of old wars

Answer 2

1. Monopoly on organized violence (Weber)

2. Requirements for effective monopolization of violence

Question 3

Requirements for effective monopolization of violence (3)

Answer 3

1. Centralization (legitimacy)
2. Administration/bureaucracy (capability)
3. Taxation (financing)

Question 4

socioeconomical factors of old wars

Answer 4

1. Urbanization and industrialization -> bigger volume,

2. french rev -> bigger and better motivated armies

Question 5

Technological innovations of the old wars

Answer 5

steam engine and railways

Question 6

traditional conception of war

Answer 6

essentially open confrontation of regular army vs. regular army, on the battlefield, civilians/rest of society not involved directly, sometimes not even affected

Question 7

small wars were…

Answer 7

civil wars and violent engagement with non-state actors/guerillas etc

Question 8

Clausewitzian trinity

Answer 8

 Passions/emotions (People)
 Reason (Governments/Political leaders)
 Chance and probability (Armed forces and their commanders)

Question 9

Fog of war

Answer 9

not having full information about the enemy and not knowing their location.

Question 10

Concept of the center of gravity (Schwerpunkt)

Answer 10

winning by attacking/destroying enemy’s centers of gravity (usually his armed forces)

Question 11

bigger armies and greater complexity of wars required…

Answer 11

need of strategic theory (systematic knowledge on war and its conduct)

Question 12

the Growing destructiveness of wars/use of force motivated…

Answer 12

efforts to codify rules of war

Question 13

Modern war

Answer 13

between states, gradually increasing emphasis on scale and mobility, ”rational” organization and ”scientific/positive” doctrine on force management (strategic art/knowledge)

Question 14

the growing destructiveness lead to an emphasis on scale which produced a growing need of adequate logistical support which in turn motivated a…

Answer 14

statism in the economy (nationalization of some sectors, incl. railways, defense industry)

Question 15

Important technological ”enablers” of ”totality of war”:

Answer 15

1. Electricity (cheaper distribution of power)
2. Electronic communication (telephone, radio->radar)
3. Combustion and oil -> motor vehicles ->mobility in the land, air and sea.
4. Assembly line (Henry Ford) -> wealthier workers/soldiers (?)

Question 16

”Mature” form of the old wars refered to the interstate conflicts in…

Answer 16

the firt half of XXth Century

Question 17

in general, ”Mature” form of the old war were…

Answer 17

still based on Clausewitzian principles and definition of victory, but much more intensive and ubiquitous.

Question 18

in terms of size of the state in ”Mature” form of the old war, there was an increase in…

Answer 18

nationalization and general mobilization (of all sectors of state and society, and not only in times of war).

Question 19

total wars

Answer 19

Broadening of scope of militarily relevant targets and egitimate/acceptable methods of fighting

Question 20

”Mature” form of the old war gave special importance to information which lead to a…

Answer 20

electronic warfare

Question 21

peak of the evolution of the old form of modern wars

Answer 21

Nuclear weapons

Question 22

put in doubt utility of wars as a method to pursue state interests

Answer 22

Nuclear weapons

Question 23

harbingers of the new model of wars

Answer 23

Decolonization wars of the second part of the Century, Mao’s and Vietnam guerilla war

Question 24

in the Post Cold-War period which type of actor predominated as primary category of the fighting party

Answer 24

Non-state actors

Question 25

communal wars based on identity politics

Answer 25

excluding and fragmenting societies, backward looking, stressing significance of earlier grievances – imagined or real); within traditional societies

Question 26

new wars characteristics: participants

Answer 26

• Status: regular armed forces, paramilitary groups, self-defense forces, mercenaries + PMCs, [international forces (peacekeeping/intervening)]
• Military skills and organization: usually low level of military training and expertise, lack of discipline, low level/loose organization, limited size/numbers, phenomenon of so called sobels
• warlords
• Children-soldiers
• Role of young males

Question 27

What is the role of young men in new wars?

Answer 27

issue of social status and possibility of personal ‘career development’; sexual fullfilment

Question 28

Goals of fighting parties

Answer 28

 Political control over population (rather than territory)
 Ideology – usually used instrumentally
 Economy – exploitation of resources, ”predation” on population

Question 29

Conduct of atrocities, methods and means of warfare in new wars

Answer 29

• low intensity, often ”seasonal fighting, in intervals”
• Irregular warfare (no fronts, no battles) and concentration on civilians
• Weapons – primarily SALW
• Importance of psychological impact (terrorizing/coercion)
• ——–Brutalization
• ——–Sexualization

Question 30

status of civilians in new wars

Answer 30

• main victims of violence
• Blurred lines between civilian and combatant status
• Communal warscivilians as ’legitimate’ and preferable
  (easy) target
• War economies and ‘predatory’ nature of armed groups attacks on civilians profitable
• Low level of military skills of combatants
• Consequences: casualties, refugees, IDP’s

Question 31

”New wars economy”

Answer 31

• Greed
• Self-financing of wars (relatively low
  costs of fighting, profits from continuous fighting)
• Informal character of wars + weakness of central
  governmentspersistence of informal/war economies
• Opportunity to capture humanitarian/development aid (looting, ”paid protection”, extortions in return for access to societies in need)
• Opportunity to entry international markets

Question 32

example of Opportunity to entry international markets in new wars economy

Answer 32

Bloody diamonds