Total War
Learn about total war — the modern concept where entire nations mobilize their economies, populations, and resources for all-out military conflict.
Total war is a concept that emerged in the 20th century to describe conflicts in which entire nations — not just their armies — are mobilized for war. In total war, the distinction between combatants and civilians breaks down, economic production becomes as important as battlefield victory, and governments assume extraordinary control over their societies.
World War I was the first total war. Governments conscripted millions, directed industrial production toward military needs, rationed food and materials, and used propaganda to maintain civilian morale. The naval blockade of Germany — designed to starve the civilian population into submission — demonstrated that in total war, the entire enemy nation is a target. Over 40% of WWI's casualties were civilians.
World War II pushed the concept further. Strategic bombing deliberately targeted civilian populations and industrial infrastructure. The Holocaust was carried out under the cover of total war. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki represented the ultimate expression of total war — the ability to destroy an entire city with a single weapon. Total war transformed the relationship between states and their citizens, vastly expanding government power and creating the modern national security state.
Lessons covering this topic
Browse all lessons →Causes of World War I
Alliances, arms races, and the assassination that started it all.
The War in the Trenches
Technology, total war, and the death of innocence.
The Global Conflict
From Blitzkrieg to the Pacific — war on every front.
The Home Front & Resistance
Civilians, propaganda, and the fight behind the lines.