[Graybeard]

Originally Posted by RascalPuff Is organized warfare inherent to the human condition, or is it conditioned through learning from previous generations. Organized warfare: Nature? Nurture? Or both?

Rascal ..... You need to define a few terms:

'Organised Warfare' is a very open term. Even if we define it as 'Large Scale Warfare' it still remains a very open interpretation.

Pre-historic warfare, for which there is some evidence, may have consisted of only a few tens of combatants, but relative to the population of the area at the time it could be considered large scale.

My own point of view is that all wars are, in the final analysis, turf wars.

From internecine warfare in the Pelopenesians emerged the first working democracy. This democracy, struggling to put out the still glowing embers of its birth, was forced to face the Persian Empire and fought 2 of the greatest strategic battles of all time. The Battle of Thermopalye, where they lost but gained time to regather and destroy the Persian invader in the Battle of the Sea of Corinth.

Democracy was born in Internecine Warfare, and was 'blooded' when it faced the entire Persian Army.

Many thousands of 'Greeks' lost their lives and hundreds of thousands of Persians lost theirs. But the prize was Democracy .. the birth of a freedom where all could have a say.

Nature, Nurture, or Both ? I would say both.

History is at its most fallible when examining warfare, as the loser is never around to tell his tale. Most people (western) would unhesitatingly state that WWII was won by the allies .. In fact it was won by Russia (a reluctant ally), and the turning point for all of us was the Battle of Stalingrad which led to the massive defeat of Germany at Kursk. Germany had lost a third of its entire army when these 2 battles were over and would never make an advance on any front again.

If you question people the English will say that WWII was in the main the Battle of Europe, Americans will say the Pacific, Australians combine North Africa and the South Pacific. As for the losers ... well, who asks them ?

For me the war was won or lost at 2 critical battles, Stalingrad and Midway.
I look on War as the Prey look at its Predator, necessary ... as long as your not caught.

cool bananas ... greg