Chapter One – Wars in the 20th Century

Eric Hobsbawm Consider those three parameters. Is he correct? “The Twentieth Century has been without a doubt the most murderous century of which we have record by the scale, frequency, and length of the warfare which filled it.” Consider those three parameters. Is he correct?

Types of Warfare: Total Was there total war in the 19th Century? Was total war more or less like likely in the 20th Century? What about the 21st Century?

Types of Warfare: Limited How do we define limited warfare? Who typically fights limited wars? How are they fought? Are they always limited for everyone?

Types of Warfare: Civil Did they exist in the 19th Century? The 20th? The 21st? Can civil wars be defined under a “total”, “limited”, or “guerrilla” category, as well?

Types of Warfare: Guerrilla How do we define a guerrilla war? Why do some consider guerrilla tactics to be “unfair?” Can you think of examples where such tactics were used in 1) antiquity, 2) the 19th Century, the 20th Century, the 21st Century?

Considering Causes & Effects Economic Social Political Ideological