Fighting the Future via the Past. Pt 4

Third Generation

      France and Great Britain's declarations of war against Nazi Germany seemed to be a repeat of the First World War. German discipline would come face to face with French determination and British heroism in a mighty clash that would ultimately result in Germany dashing its forces to pieces against the mighty Maginot Line, a line of fortresses bristling with cannons and machine guns. After all, the lessons of the previous war had taught elan was worthless in the face of the modern arsenal.
      One month and twelve days later, France had fallen, and the British had fled from the continent.

      First seen in the closing months of the First World War, third generation warfare is the opposite idea to second generation warfare. Instead of trying to force order onto a battlefield, commanders seek to create it. Junior officers are encouraged to take the initiative and act on their instincts rather than wait for their distant generals. Tactics now emphasize speed and mobility over firepower.
      Rather than destroying the enemy in pitched battle, third generation tactics aim to break through enemy lines and collapse his position by causing confusion in his rear and among his supply lines. The idea behind this method of fighting is to use clever strategies to overcome a material disadvantage, such as that faced by Germany during both world wars.
      Third generation warfare also differs from second generation warfare in the matter of home involvement. Previous wars had left populations largely intact, but third generation warfare makes a target of civilian populations. This should not be confused with the genocides perpetrated by the axis forces during the Second World War. A more accurate example would be the American and British bombing campaigns, which targeted industrial regions in German and Japan to try and destroy their production capacity.
      Rather than inflicting more casualties than the enemy can afford to replace, third generation strategy (not to be confused with tactics, which refer to plans on the battlefield) tries to destroy the enemy's ability to replace any casualties at all. Population is only targeted for its ability to produce, not for the value of causing more death.
      This manner of thinking will be reversed as we continue on to the fourth and current generation of warfare.