Total war is a military conflict in which nations mobilize all available resources in order to destroy another nation's ability to engage in war. The total wars of World War I and II were characterized by the unprecedented involvement of civilians, the use of new technologies, and the targeting of civilian infrastructure.
Think about playing a game where you're not just using your main players but also your reserves, coaches, fans, and even the stadium itself to win. That's what total war is like - it involves every part of society.
Militarism: This refers to the belief or desire that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests.
Propaganda: This is information, especially biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view. During total wars, propaganda was widely used to influence public opinion.
Civilian Casualties: These are non-combatant persons killed or injured during armed conflict or war. In total wars like WWI & WWII, there were massive civilian casualties due to bombings and other forms of warfare.
Study guides for the entire semester
200k practice questions
Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.