total war
All-out military engagement
Total war is warfare without restraint on weapons, targets, or methods—where civilian populations, economic resources, and infrastructure become legitimate objectives alongside military forces.
The concept emerged from the world wars, where entire nations mobilized and destruction extended far beyond battlefields.
The bombing of Dresden exemplified total war.
The term contrasts with limited war, which observes boundaries on scope or means.
Mandatory military enrollment
- draftPreliminary version of text
- home frontCivilian sector during war
- rationingLimiting distribution during scarcity
- manpowerAvailable labor force
armament · logistics · industrial output · production quotas · strategic resources · labor force · national service · recruitment
Fast, overwhelming military campaign
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
- scorched earthDestroy all useful resources
- carpet bombingWidespread aerial bombardment
- siegeEncirclement forcing surrender
blockade · attrition · occupation · devastation · firebombing · strategic bombing · mass destruction · unconditional surrender
conscription
Mandatory military enrollment
- draftPreliminary version of text
- home frontCivilian sector during war
- rationingLimiting distribution during scarcity
manpower · armament · logistics · industrial output · production quotas · strategic resources · labor force · national service · recruitment · propaganda
blitzkrieg
Fast, overwhelming military campaign
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
- scorched earthDestroy all useful resources
- carpet bombingWidespread aerial bombardment
siege · blockade · attrition · occupation · devastation · firebombing · strategic bombing · mass destruction · unconditional surrender · combined arms
- warfarebattle, combat, attack, armed conflict, military strategy
- conquestcapture, invasion, domination, subjugation, imperial conquest
- WarsWWI, Yugoslav Wars, Napoleonic Wars, civil wars, Punic Wars
- combatbattle, fight, combat, unarmed combat, grappling
- military strategymilitary doctrine, combat tactics, tactical maneuvers, defense policy, nuclear strategy
- military doctrineattrition warfare, combined arms, deterrence, conventional warfare, unconventional warfare
total warlimited engagement
Show with predetermined closing
border skirmish · proxy war · regional conflict · surgical strike · police action
total warpeace
Freedom from disturbance
armistice · ceasefire · truce · détente · reconciliation
war, total, totally, totality, subtotal, totalize, totalities