New Warfare Concepts for the Industrial Society.

Modern industrial countries possess the capability to destroy large parts of an opponents society through employment of mass-destruction weapons. Since World War 2, this capability has restrained the outbreak of general war, but the possibility of limited war escalating to general war exists at any time. Other alternatives to the solution of conflict between nations must be found. Data to investigate this problem were gathered through literature search and correspondence with Army Service Schools. The industrial nations are rapidly becoming urbanized, and the destruction of these areas must be prevented. One alternative is the weakening of an opponents national will through disruption of the technological, sociological and economic systems which are the basis of his industrial society. The U.S. Army has not developed doctrine for non-destructive combat in urban areas, leaving the field commander only the alternatives of bypassing or destroying the area. The Army should develop the capability to engage in non-destructive warfare at several levels in the industrial society.