Four Generations of Warfare

The age of modern warfare, at least in Europe, began in the middle of the 17^th century. Until this period, wars were waged by families, tribes, religious groups and cities. The Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 led to the end of this period and from this time, the state had complete control on war and the way war was fought. Many analysts have called the period from 1648 to 1850 the first generation of modern warfare or 1GW. This first generation was characterized by massed manpower on the battlefield: cavalry charges, bayonet charges, massed fires and line and column tactics where troops stood shoulder-to-shoulder in densely packed formations. In turn, this highly ordered battlefield led to a military culture of order characterized by drill and ceremonial, uniforms, saluting and rigid rank structures.

Second generation warfare (2GW) resulted from developments in firepower, communications and transport. New technologies, like barbed wire and the machinegun, greatly increased the destructive power employed on the battlefield with the result that the old line and column tactics became suicidal. Thus, the aim of war was – to wear down the enemy to the point of collapse. This period was characterized by strictly controlled battlefields and massed firepower and led to a military culture of obedience and centralized decision-making; 2GW was warfare fought by generals with no room for independence and no initiative on the part of junior commanders.

Originally developed by the Germans, Third Generation Warfare (3GW) emphasized speed and surprise. 3GW is commonly known as manoeuvre warfare. Manoeuvre warfare means using a part of one’s force to find and then fix the enemy, while the rest of the force attacks his weakest point. In modern times, 3GW involves a combination of deep, close and rear operations fought on land, in the air, at sea, in space. Information technology and the possibility of real-time communications and total visibility of the battlefield have added another aspect to 3GW – information battle. 3GW has led to a military culture that emphasizes initiative and rapid, decentralized decision-making by junior commanders.

Four Generation Warfare (4GW) is the most radical change in warfare. 4GW largely results from cultural, ethnic and religious conflicts, it is also a product of globalization and modern communications technologies. In 4 GW, the state loses its control on war and nation states conflict with guerrillas, insurgents, terrorists. 4 GW conflicts will be asymmetrical. These groups will normally lack the ability to challenge regular military forces on equal terms so, they will resort to unconventional tactics and weapons, including attacks on civilians, terror, and weapons of mass destruction.

Дата добавления: 2014-12-25