Normal War: Overview

War, in the literal sense, is armed conflict between nation states, organizations of all levels and sovereign countries. Generally categorized by the prevalence of various weapons and fatalities, war knows no bounds in terms of combatants and civilians. As man has progressed socially and technologically, those same advancements have been applied to fulfill his desire for propriety and control, primary catalysts for war. Often, individuals who modified the technology to suit their needs extrapolated these advancements. One of the most basic examples of this tenant is the use of bows and arrows, a tool used to fell animals, to instead kill other humans.

Since man has inhabited Earth, war, in some sense, has existed; as Sun Tzu, the revered military philosopher and author of Art of War stated, "warfare is the greatest affair of state, the basis of life and death, the Tao to survival or extinction." With this knowledge, there must be some consideration of the major causal factors of war.

Economic

The need for money is a powerful force, which often contributes to waged wars. A nation state, for example the Roman civilization, would attack and conquer adjacent and even distant groups to acquire precious metals, slave labor and monetary funds. In a modern sense, this can be likened to Saddam Hussein’s invasion of adjacent Kuwait for their plentiful and lucrative oil reserves.

Political

Control is a motivating force contributing to a majority of wars waged throughout history. In this sense, control is a need for political power and authority. A leader of a country or an organization would attempt to attack pre-existing authoritative figures or officials in attempt to claim that position for his own use. An example of such a war would be the American Revolution, in which colonists living in America revolted against British authority. If such a political war occurs within a country (i.e. all involved parties are members of a particular country), the war is called a civil war.

Social

Social hierarchies have always been present. These distinctions though, have often alienated certain discriminated groups to the point of violence. These groups have mobilized with whatever means they could manage and confronted ruling classes, in bloody clashes. The most noteworthy example of such a war would be the French Revolution, in which the bourgeoisie, or working class French denizens, revolted against the elite aristocracy, resulting in the unimpeded death of thousands. In addition to this type of social war is that which pits two different societies against one other. Such situations are generally prompted by religious differences, which date back centuries. An example of this war would be the origins of World War II, in which German leader, Adolf Hitler, began his persecution of Jewish people, insofar as their cultural identity did not agree with his.

Technological Advancements

In respect to technology used to wage wars, progress has been achieved at a remarkable pace. The first battles were fought to rudimentary swords, spears and shields. Now, battles are waged with Kalashnikov rifles, sub-machine guns and bullet-proof vests. Often, the involved equipped with the greatest weaponry and technology will emerge victorious in war.

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