Classical Theorists and Warfare - Essay Example

?Running Head: ical Theorists & Warfare ical Theorists & Warfare [Institute’s ical Theorists & Warfare icaltheories and warfare has always been in association and correlation to each other since centuries, as they both lays the foundation on extent and proportions of human political features and temperament therefore, they tend to have a constant and persistent relationship. This alliance of significant classical theories with the art of soldiers and army, principle of their beliefs and the carrying out of approach and tactics has come under apparent and noticeable surveillance prior to any others. Few of the classical theorists have formed and twisted the United States army’s article of faith and attitude in such a way that it has not only persuaded other neighboring but also few of the far-reaching countries in a profound manner1. However, governmental bodies and rulers, along with the participants of battles and conflicts have their distinct and particular classical theorists with the consultative expertise, who recommends and propose impeccable opinions to these bodies. These theorist offers with their opinions and recommendations principally for the role of planning as they have encountered the ground realities of the battlefield in a widespread and comprehensive way. In addition, they are masters with the boundless and considerable information and statistics on the past and chronicled researches2. The studies and data demonstrates the fact that classical theorist still apply to the contemporary conflicts and wars in the twentieth century as well as in the twenty-first century specifically concerning the technological advancements and boom in the industrial sector that the world is experiencing. Although the industrial revolution did not bring change largely for the classical theorists, yet they continued to keep themselves modernized and elucidated the existing and recent truths and information on a continuous basis in order to maintain their worth and significance3. Several of the theories related to warfare in the old times have undergone some changes and are dissimilar and unlike to the modern warfare as the social, political, cultural, economic and technological factors alters with the passage of time and thus, have a great deal of influence on the articulation of the warfare4. Many of the classical theories have come under collection, assembling, and consolidation by the theorists that were imperative and essential intuitions, perceptions and visions that emphasized their extended apprehensions of the warfare, rather than their advice to the explicit activities in the war. According to some of the classical theorists, ethical and principal manipulation, climatic conditions, territory, or region of a country, authority, control and domination, and regulation and obedience were few major and elementary aspects that were critical and crucial to the planning of the war5. Whereas, when looking at the other end of the spectrum, in contrast to the extensive knowledge about the past records of the army and their headship and management, the above mentioned aspects of consideration at the planning of the war by few theorist was irrelevant, out of date or even pedestrian6. As the classical theorist had different perspectives, their ideas and thoughts differ from each other and this can come under witness by the diverse and deviating past situations and surroundings. Some of the theorists focused and emphasized that, victory in the fight and conquering and defeating the rivals through paramount focus was the leading and vital solution. While others highlighted and accentuated the fact that deceit and dishonesty is the key to success and winning in the battle, and ruling over, and controlling the enemy’s insight and opinions will make them fight to the directed side7. Despite of the fact that the classical theorists were poles apart, nevertheless, they had abundant and plentiful chief and significant resemblances and relationship in their theories. The elucidation of the enduring and everlasting features and attributes of war has always been one of the concerns for all the classical theorists. The efforts made by the classical theorists that come under developing and creating the hypothesis worldwide are exceptional and exclusive8. Few of the very famous theorists although had a very long gap between their periods together with the cultural segregation, yet they shared analogous and resembling theories associated to warfare and conflicts due to the reason that they both observed and studied the fundamental and primary happenings and events of warfare9. Amongst the few theories that still apply to the modern and contemporary warfare refers to the aim and objective of the hypothesis that it refers to the clarification and expression to define a particular action, rather than an advisory or commanding act. According to this definition, justification of ethical military strength, rivals’ response based on their self-governing motivation and determination should be a definite part of the precise hypothesis that came under development by the theorists. In addition to the applied theories, until the recent times includes the viewpoint and ideas of some theorists that approach and course of actions are a lot simple and troublesome to build and create when compared to policies and plans10. The prime and essential concern during the warfare is the safety and security of the lives of the citizens and the land of the country and come under the consideration as the supremacy of consequences on national level for all the governmental bodies. This concern gave an apparent meaning in the understanding of the importance for the development of suitable plans of actions in order to safeguard one’s integrity. The aims and objectives of the governmental bodies and leaders come under the obligation of controlling and dictating all the plans of actions at the time of warfare and come under the acknowledgement by the modern strategic hypothesis11. The battles and wars have cleared the perceptions of the classical army theorists that the foremost reason of the war inhabit and dwell in the thinking and minds of the humans rather than in arms and ammunitions. In other words, it is in the human mindset to deceit or cheats other human beings, which becomes the basis for the warfare and the humanity fights in a violent behavior in order to get hold on and control the enemy or the rival12. From the ancient times passed by until the recent eras, the world has experienced numerous changes in almost every aspect of the human life. However, this has raised the matter of subject that warfare can alleviate or diminish from the world or not. Various methods and approaches of warfare has come under revolution that includes the substantial and material war framework, technique and process of movement, approach and mode of contact or exchange of information, disaster and destructiveness and methods of involvement of the missiles, artillery and other weaponry in the battlefield with the technological advancement and boom13. Where the epoch of the twentieth century has come across many years of wars and battles with the participation and contribution of many of the cultures and nations, the conflicts were to a very little extent for the government and constitutional achievements that came under experience by the century. Conversely, the twenty first century warfare has not encountered with a battlefield, however, the war has turned out to a different and new appearance of consideration because of the modifications and development in the social and technological sectors. With the consequences of few studies, it has come under surveillance that the classical theories have come under promotion and embracement in the courses and plans of the U.S. military learning. However, in few occasions these theories do not come under application, rather the emphasis is to form and construct the governmental management and headship perspectives that well-matches and suits the methods applied in warfare14. The predictions and forecast illustrates the fact that since the world in becoming more competent with the passage of time and natural resources are depleting, increasing violence and intimidation, and political disagreements related to strategies and guiding principles are the primary, and foremost reasons that will make the warfare continue in the upcoming time. The application of the classical theories will persist in the future warfare as well due to the reason that the people are not ready to modify and alter their perceptions, nature and conviction and beliefs15. As the terrorism is growing amongst the people of the world, the probability of recurring wars in increasing at an unprecedented rate coupled to the development of sophisticated and destructive weaponry. Due to this factor, the classical theories related to warfare should come under immense consideration on a continuous basis for the precautionary measures to reduce or prevent the occurring of war or battle. However, the alterations and modifications should not change the background of primary theories that come under application by the army soldiers16. References Gray, Colin S. 2011. The Strategy Bridge: Theory for Practice. Oxford University Press. Handel, Michael I. 2001. Masters of war: classical strategic thought. Routledge. Lonsdale, David J. 2004. The nature of war in the Information Age: Clausewitzian future. Routledge. Malesevic, Sinisa. 2010. The Sociology of War and Violence. Cambridge University Press. White, Jonathan R. 2011. Terrorism and Homeland Security. Cengage Learning. Read More