History 1404E Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Erich Von Falkenhayn, Passerine, New Idea
Document Summary
Great war = worlds" rst total war. "total war is distinguished by its unprecedented intensity and extent. Theatres of operations span the globe; the scale of battle is practically limitless. Total war is fought heedless of the restraints of morality, custom, or international law, for the combatants are inspired by hatreds born of modern ideologies. Total war requires the mobilization not only of armed forces but also of whole populations. The most crucial determinant of total war is the widespread, indiscriminate, and deliberate inclusion of civilians as legitimate military targets. Not just a war between armies, wars between people, between hearts and minds, between societies. Unprecedented intrusion into people"s lives: governments intervened more frequently than before and in more matters, governments treated, disciplined and organized their populations as military even if they weren"t. Winner and losers, no middle ground possible. France estimated 13 000 artilleries per day, when in reality they ended up using 120.
