History of Warfare and the Rules of Engagement

To be successful or victorious in any war, the military have to make sure that men and women in uniforms, are well trained and discipline. Discipline is one of the key factors in any operation. Where there is discipline, there is orderliness, especially in the military. Combat soldiers are trained to kill, and defend themselves. Following ROE will help them target their enemies better. For example, in the Vietnam War, the Army operated under R0E, known as rules of engagement. This ROE were in place to conduct warfare that will comply with international and local laws within the conditions specified by high rank commanders. However, if rules of engagement are not put in place properly, followed or executed, it could be disastrous. An example could be the situation seen in Vietnam, when the U.S rules of engagement shifted towards some soft rules of engagement which caused a lot of American lives. A lot of the U.S soldiers were killed..(The changing combat rules of engagement: what is one American life worth? 2013). In any war, chain of command is very essential. The chain of command is an effective way to maintain order and to assign and make each accountable to a task. The same principle can be applied directly to

There was close to nothing if any attachment between the political targets displayed the militarily mean to accomplish them. Operation ROLLING THUNDER embodies a micromanaged task that overlooked the capacities, experience and convention of the North Vietnamese.

The change from conventional battle lines to an all out street conflict impacts all elements of the armed forces. Traditional and distinct separations in the boundaries that define non-hostile occupations commonly known as “support units” from their “combat arms” counterparts causes problems when those supportive elements encounter hostilities and naturally take measures to defend themselves. Conflict arises when those elements, engaging in combat, have female soldiers, which, is thought to be a violation of the United States Military Policy. This policy (taken from Army Regulation (AR) 10-6, 600-3) currently states that females may not engage in direct combat based on several factors (whs.mil). The current engagements in the Middle East

Yet in Vietnam the Army experienced tactical success and strategic failure... The...Vietnam War...legacy may be the lesson that unique historical, political, cultural, and social factors always impinge on the military...Success rests not only on military progress but on correctly analyzing the nature of the particular conflict, understanding the enemy's strategy, and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of allies. A new humility and a new sophistication may form the best parts of a complex heritage left to the Army by the long, bitter war in Vietnam."

When looking back at a war as controversial as America 's involvement in Vietnam, it is difficult to understand why soldiers would choose to fight and why they kept fighting for so long. Through a series of letters written by the soldiers themselves, one can see multiple motivations for soldiers in Vietnam, such as believing in the cause, self-preservation, and comradary amongst the men. This is all brought together in Dear America: Letters Home From Vietnam, an adequate volume edited by Bernard Edelman for the New York Vietnam Veterans Memorial Commission.

The movie Platoon tells the story of a platoon of soldiers during their time serving in the Vietnam War. The soldiers find themselves in a variety of ethically challenging situations, and many make decisions with massive ethical ramifications. The situations vary, from searching a village for enemy activity to deciding whether to save a fellow soldier, and the soldiers are forced to choose between varieties of less than ideal options. The movie’s ethical spectrum ranges from individuals concerned only with accomplishing their mission at all costs to those who express concern for the lives of all people they interact with. The two ends of this spectrum are represented in the movie by Sergeant Barnes as the soldier who values only completing his mission contrasted with Sergeant Elias who attempts to preserve the life and humanity of the Vietnamese people he encounters when possible (Kopelson, 1986). I believe that the decisions exemplified by Elias represent a better way of conducting warfare, while those of Barnes represent a descent into understanding only the immediate objective at the expense of winning the overall war. The following key ethical decision points from the movie demonstrate the superiority of the decisions made by Elias

World War I was a devastating time for the entire world, both economically and physically. Even more devastating than the physical destruction and economic losses were the experiences of the soldiers fighting this gruesome war, and its effects on them. According to Wilfred Owen’s poems, Vera Brittain’s account, and Erich Remarque’s novel, the warfare’s conditions and nature greatly affected these men in various ways. Not only did they suffer from physical losses, such as death of beloved ones, separation from families, and bodily injuries, they also suffered psychologically due to extensive trauma. The “lost generation” suffered immensely from post-traumatic stress, and lost the ability to live normal lives, along with their willpower and strength. They may have survived, but they were living corpses. The war turned them into living corpses because of the trauma and torture they endured on the battlefront.

Armed of Conflict and Rules of Engagement are the laws that have been approved through United Nations to be obeyed during the war in the battle zones. In fact, the producer of the movie illustrates that the rule of engagement is not obeyed in the Vietnam War. Moreover, in one of the Helicopter peak the pilot wrote “ Death from the Air” in the same scene the soldier opens fire on civilian farmers and women. In fact, this movie illustrates the collateral damages in the battle zone for no reason. When people lose their home and family in the war, it is hard to wait for peace to come back to them. In fact, the movie also focuses on the frustrations of local people being subjugated. In fact, the movie left out the pressures of the soldier that commits

It can be said that the period of time between 1400 and 1600 was one of transformation. The Renaissance revolutionized art and reintroduced Greek and Roman works to Europe. Increased technologies and a hunger for products from the Indies led to Columbus’s discovery of the Americas in 1492 which revolutionized commerce and international trade. In 1517 a German monk named Martin Luther listed a series of complaints against the Roman church leading to a reformation that transformed the western church. At the same time a more obscure, though equally important revolution was taking place, one whose effects were no less significant.

Victor Davis Hanson is a former classics professor, an American military historian, a scholar of ancient warfare and a columnist. He graduated from Selma High School, he also received a BA from the University of California in 1975 and later got his Ph.D. in Classics from Stanford University. His rich education background and experience, therefore, qualifies him for his work especially his book: Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise of Western Power. In the book, Victor Hanson intends to shed light on the predominance of the western military as attributed to the western Hellenic culture as well as its legacies. John Lynn is a history professor at the University of Illinois; he is also an adjunct professor at Ohio State University. Born in 1943, he received his degree in Bachelor of Arts at University of Illinois. He then attained his Master’s degree in Art at the University of California and later his Ph.D. at UCLA. Like Victor Hanson, John Lynn is also a military historian focusing of the ancient western military power. The professor is well known for his book Battle: A History of Combat and Culture published in 2003. In the book, John Lynn seeks to oppose the universal approaches to interpreting warfare.

Historians estimate that the Art of War was written in China in around the fourth century. Although the book was written over 2,000 years ago it currently sits atop every critical reading list for both the military and civilian world. Sun Tzu was a General so the book is geared more towards the military, much like the tools you learn as a service member the strategies used in this book can be employed within all walks of life. It has had an impact on today’s modern society by offering a methodical way of thinking that is applicable in just about any circumstance. The Art of War teaches a form of critical thinking which is essential to mission success.

War has been an important part of society since humans wandered the earth, it played an important role in shaping society the way it is today. War comes from an disagreement between two civilizations and as an outcome different tools and technologies have been implemented to assist in a civilization coming out victorious. One major technological advancement that revolutionized wars was gunpowder.

Sun Tzu, the author of The Art of War, wrote one of the oldest and famous books to be written in history. The Art of War, is a Chinese military treatise that has become more than just for military use, it’s utilized in almost all aspects of today’s world. Businesses, sports, politics, education, and so many more have interpreted The Art of War and used it in their everyday lives. The Art of War portrays fighting as a guide serving a dual purpose, suggesting that strategy is not just useful for fighting but for achieving success in life. There are many quotes by Sun Tzu that relates my personal struggles and accomplishments over the course of my life.

Since the beginning of time, humanity has resorted to war as a fundamental way to settle their differences. Clausewitz described war as the act of force to compel the enemy to do our will. Sun-Tzu believed the purpose of war was to subdue the enemy without fighting. Regardless of the definition, every culture has its motives for why it goes to war and how it should be conducted. Nation states go to war to gain access to new territories and resources, settle religious differences, and defend against a threat or for no other reason than to impose their will on the enemy. To deter war nation-states have used diplomatic means to settle their differences, but when that fails, war follows.

In the time period of last ten years, many changes have been observed in the nature of Warfare from being aggressive towards more argumentative. There are various views and debates among the nature and character of the wars and the debate continues to grow with time. The several reasons of changes can be attributed to the technological advances and other situational changes. This essay is going to shed light upon whether the nature and character of war has been changed in the course of recent years or it continues to be the same as it was years ago.