And the Clocks Were Striking Thirteen
The Termination of War
ResearchPublished 1976
Military analysts have focused on the problems of war initiation and conduct while largely ignoring the problem of how to terminate war on acceptable terms. This paper attempts to define the necessary conditions for war termination and proposes a framework for assessing alternative termination strategies. Deterrence and limited war theories suggest three war termination strategies: (1) attrition of warfighting capabilities; (2) protracted stalemate; and (3) coercive threats of unacceptable damage. A review of recent armed conflicts indicates the limitations on effective pursuit of these strategies and reveals an alternative formulation of the conditions necessary for effective war termination strategies. Based on these notions, current U.S. force posture and force employment doctrines are evaluated in terms of their consistency with war termination requirements. Finally, an agenda of issues related to the development of war termination strategies is proposed.
Document Details
- Copyright: RAND Corporation
- Availability: Available
- Year: 1976
- Print Format: Paperback
- Paperback Pages: 26
- Paperback Price: $20.00
- Document Number: P-5559
Citation
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Foster, James L. and Garry D. Brewer, And the Clocks Were Striking Thirteen: The Termination of War, RAND Corporation, P-5559, 1976. As of September 12, 2024: https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P5559.html
Foster, James L. and Garry D. Brewer, And the Clocks Were Striking Thirteen: The Termination of War. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1976. https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P5559.html. Also available in print form.
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