Part III: Going to the Source
One of my favorite historical military figures is General William T. Sherman, a senior Army officer who fought for the U.S. in the War between the States. He was a pioneering soldier who knew how war works, and specifically what is the real backbone of a nation's war effort. Thus, history tells us of Sherman's March, a virtually uncontested romp which he lead through the heart of the South destroying a large chunk of its industry, telegraph, and railroad transport capability. I believe this campaign really took the guts out of the Confederate war machine; in fact, it probably took many months, if not years, off the length of the war. It was also the first real implementation of what's come to be known as "total war".
I am a believer in total war. When you fight a nation, you're fighting not only its military but also its production, communication, transportation, and population (to a certain extent). Long gone are the days of battlefield glory in which opposing armies would line up neatly, fight a few battles, and end the war. Back then you didn't have to worry about production because it was much too slow to be a factor. Transportation was the same, and the telegraph hadn't even been invented yet. These days, to realistically expect victory in war, you need to go after the aforementioned national capabilities: and that means hitting cities, and consquently civilians.
Your focus in war must not be, "How can I defeat my enemy's army?". It must be "How can I defeat both his ability and his desire to fight against me?". Sun Tzu once said, "Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting." As a christian, I believe that the ultimate goal of any war must be to end it as quickly as possible, using only the means that are necessary to accomplish the objectives. Are there ethics in war? The answer must be yes; God reigns in all things, and he is the God of war as well as the God of peace. So what should those ethics be? That's another post altogether.
I am a believer in total war. When you fight a nation, you're fighting not only its military but also its production, communication, transportation, and population (to a certain extent). Long gone are the days of battlefield glory in which opposing armies would line up neatly, fight a few battles, and end the war. Back then you didn't have to worry about production because it was much too slow to be a factor. Transportation was the same, and the telegraph hadn't even been invented yet. These days, to realistically expect victory in war, you need to go after the aforementioned national capabilities: and that means hitting cities, and consquently civilians.
Your focus in war must not be, "How can I defeat my enemy's army?". It must be "How can I defeat both his ability and his desire to fight against me?". Sun Tzu once said, "Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting." As a christian, I believe that the ultimate goal of any war must be to end it as quickly as possible, using only the means that are necessary to accomplish the objectives. Are there ethics in war? The answer must be yes; God reigns in all things, and he is the God of war as well as the God of peace. So what should those ethics be? That's another post altogether.
