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Cultural significance to warfare

Discussion in 'History Forum' started by Stratiotes, Oct 4, 2004.

  1. Stratiotes

    Stratiotes New Member

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    The guerrilla war discussion got me thinking of another topic - what are some significant cultural differences in war? For instance, is there a great impact in the differences of Clausewitz in the west and SunTzu in the east and what impact does it have on how wars are fought by the two?

    Here's an example on this point to illustrate:
    The Acme of Skill
     
  2. Daisy

    Daisy New Member

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    Interesting paper, Stratiotes.
     
  3. Stratiotes

    Stratiotes New Member

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    If you enjoy that concept, you'll like the work of Col. John Boyd and his "disciples" at the
    Defense and National Interest site. Especially check out the Swift Elusive Sword book that you can find thru the library or thru that website.
     
  4. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    Most every war is for the purpose of stealing assets. The Muslim wars are for the purpose of killing, not stealing. This hasn't happened since Joshua took Jerico.
     
  5. Stratiotes

    Stratiotes New Member

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    I don't think that's quite accurate. To assume an enemy is acting without logic is the first step to underestimating and never defeating him.
     
  6. The Galatian

    The Galatian Active Member

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    I wonder what Sun Tzu would have made of the Truman doctrine, and "containment", the long-term (and successful) plan to defeat the Soviet Union by simply limiting its growth without a general war.

    George Marshall also seems to have grasped Clausewitz's notion of war as an extension of diplomacy. The Marshall plan was as much a dagger aimed at the heart of the Warsaw Pact, as it was a means of reconstructing Europe. We now know that he had provided funds within the plan for secretly undermining pro-marxist groups in Western Europe, and for fomenting dissatisfaction within the Warsaw pact.
     
  7. Stratiotes

    Stratiotes New Member

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    One of Sun Tzu's maxim is that the true acme of skill is to win without fighting. Defeat the enemy strategy and it will not be necessary to defeat his army - I think the cold war defeat of the Soviet Union was closer to the Sun Tzu ideal than the bloodletting of Korea or Vietnam.
     
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