SMALL WARS AND HOW THEY GROW IN THE TELLING

In: Small wars & insurgencies, Band 2, Heft 2, S. 216-231

Abstract

IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT THE STUDY OF SMALL WARS CAN INTERFERE WITH THE STUDY OF LARGE ONES, AND IT IS CERTAINLY TRUE THAT MOST ARMIES FIND IT DIFFICULT TO SWITCH FROM ONE TYPE TO THE OTHER. NATIONAL TRADITIONS AND LONG-STANDING MILITARY OR POLITICAL DOCTRINES HAVE AN IMPORTANT PART TO PLAY IN DIFFERENCES OF PERCEPTION AS DO MATERIAL FACTORS SUCH AS NATIONAL ECONOMIC RESOURCES. THIS ARTICLE ARGUES THAT AT LEAST A PART OF THE DIFFICULTY ARISES FROM AMBIGUITIES IN REPORTING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO TYPES OF WAR IN THE PRESS AND THROUGH OTHER FORMS OF THE PRINTED WORD. THE GENERAL READER CAN FIND IT DIFFICUT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN DIFFERENT LEVELS OF VIOLENCE. HE TENDS TO SEE ALL WARS AS BIG WARS. THE ARTICLE CONCLUDES THAT THE PROBLEM IS THAT ONE MAN'S SMALL WAR MAY BE ANOTHER MAN'S APOCALYPSE.