Total war

Definition

Total war is a military strategy in which a nation mobilizes all of its resources—military, economic, industrial, and civilian—for the war effort, and targets not just enemy armies but also the infrastructure and civilian systems that support them. This concept emerged fully during the Civil War and reached its peak in the World Wars.

Examples

  • General Sherman's March to the Sea (1864) destroyed Southern infrastructure and civilian resources to break Confederate morale
  • During WWII, Allied bombing campaigns targeted German and Japanese factories, railroads, and cities
  • Both world wars required governments to ration food, draft civilians, and convert factories to military production
Key Fact

Sherman's March to the Sea (1864) is considered one of the first modern applications of total war strategy.

Related Terms

Civil war battles Wwi Wwii Industrialization

Study This Concept

Practice total war with free review games in these units:

AP World History: Modern Unit 7: Global Conflict