Total war is a doctrine and mode of warfare in which a nation's entire economy, population and infrastructure are treated as legitimate instruments and targets of the war effort, erasing the older distinction between combatant and civilian effort. The term itself was popularized by the German general Erich Ludendorff's 1935 World War I memoir Der totale Krieg (The Total War). This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Core ClaimA nation's entire economy, population and industry become legitimate instruments and targets of war, erasing the older distinction between combatant and civilian effort. 1 FAQs
Who coined the term "total war"?
German general Erich Ludendorff, in his 1935 memoir Der totale Krieg.
The term was popularized by the German general Erich Ludendorff in his 1935 World War I memoir Der totale Krieg (The Total War), though the practice of treating a nation's whole economy, population and infrastructure as legitimate war targets, which the term describes, predates the word itself.
Connections
Associated With
Source Wikipedia: Total War
Developed By
Source Wikipedia: Total War
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Total War
Wikipedialead paragraph
Total war is a type of warfare where a society's entire economy, population, and infrastructure are considered part of the war effort.
etymology section
The phrase was popularised by the 1935 publication of German general Erich Ludendorff's World War I memoir, Der totale Krieg.
Developed By: Erich Ludendorff, Lead section
The phrase was popularised by the 1935 publication of German general Erich Ludendorff's World War I memoir, Der totale Krieg ("The total war"). Some authors extend the concept back as far as classic work of Carl von Clausewitz, On War, as "absoluter Krieg" (absolute war), even though he did not use the term; others interpret Clausewitz differently.
Associated With: World War II, World War II section, opening sentence
The Second World War was the quintessential total war of modernity.
View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.