The Changing Nature Of Warfare And International Conflict, 1919-2011
Overview
In 1919 an army's decisive weapon was artillery and its decisive problem was how to cross a few hundred metres of open ground. By 2011 a single operator sitting on another continent could watch a building for hours and destroy it with a missile fired from an aircraft with nobody aboard. Between those two points lie tanks, carriers, radar, atomic weapons, guerrilla armies that defeated superpowers, and terrorism that turned airliners into weapons.
The examiner is not asking for a catalogue of hardware. The questions are about what changed and what did not: whether technology or ideas drove the change, why the most advanced armies repeatedly lost to the least advanced, and how the line between soldier and civilian was steadily erased. That last question is also a moral one, and the exam rewards a student who engages with it seriously rather than avoiding it.
Objectives
- The changing nature of warfare, 1919-39: changes including gas, tanks and heavy artillery, submarines and military aircraft, guerrilla tactics in the Spanish Civil War
- Changing methods of warfare by land, air and sea, 1939-45: Blitzkrieg, the Battle of Britain, V weapons, U-boat warfare, amphibious operations, civilian resistance movements, aircraft carriers in the Pacific War
- New forms of conflict - nuclear and guerrilla war versus conventional war, 1945-75: the atom bombs, the nuclear arms race, weapons of mass destruction, MAD theory, arms limitation talks, conventional warfare in Arab-Israeli conflicts, guerrilla warfare in Vietnam
- Conventional war and the development of new wars, 1976-2000: the first Gulf War, the Falklands War, nuclear submarines, guerrilla warfare in Afghanistan, Star Wars and the end of the nuclear arms race
- Changing methods of warfare at the beginning of the 21st century, 2000-2011: the impact of terrorism and 9/11, high-tech warfare, surgical air strikes, drone wars
Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on The Changing Nature Of Warfare And International Conflict, 1919-2011. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Which agreement of 1925 prohibited the use of chemical and biological weapons in war? A) The Geneva Protocol B) The Treaty of Versailles C) The Locarno Treaties D) The Kellogg-Briand Pact Answer: A
- What made the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942 unusual? A) It was fought entirely by submarines B) The opposing surface fleets never sighted each other and fought only with aircraft C) It was the first use of nuclear weapons at sea D) No aircraft were involved Answer: B
- The doctrine of mutually assured destruction holds that: A) Nuclear weapons should be used first in any conflict B) Neither side can gain from attacking, because each can destroy the other after absorbing a first strike C) Nuclear weapons should be shared among all states D) Conventional forces are no longer necessary Answer: B
- Which conflict is the clearest example of a superpower being defeated by guerrilla forces between 1979 and 1989? A) The Falklands War B) The first Gulf War C) The Soviet war in Afghanistan D) The Korean War Answer: C
- Which weapon system was first used in large numbers during the first Gulf War of 1990 and 1991? A) The V2 rocket B) The Tomahawk cruise missile C) The aircraft carrier D) Poison gas Answer: B
Available on the Green Bridge App
Download the Green Bridge CBT app on your phone or computer to access full lesson notes, practice questions, and more.
Available on the Green Bridge App
Download the Green Bridge CBT app on your phone or computer to access full lesson notes, practice questions, and more.
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