Warfare involving Westerners fundamentally changed after World War II ended in 1945. It went from something quite obvious to something murky. Ten most important changes took place. Put telegraphically, these are (links are to my articles or weblog entries on these topics):
- An imbalance of forces is now routine
- The West is supremely confident
- There's an unwillingness to name the enemy
- Regimes, not countries are the enemy
- Help the enemy economically
- Winner now pays reparations
- Allegiances are now in play
- Appeasement is respectable
- Public opinion is crucial
- Victory is rarely the goal
I addressed this topic in 2003 at "War's New Face." That article did not cover all the above topic, so I offer my lecture notes, "Reflections on Modern Warfare" in anticipation of a full-scale article in the future.
May 15, 2020 update: Douglas J. Feith and Shaul Chorev published a similar analysis today, "The Evolving Nature of War," where they argue that "The enemy's "home front" can be the war's most important theater."
