The Strategy of Conflict

"...in the strategy of conflict there are enlightening similarities between, say, maneuvering in limited war and jockeying in a traffic jam, between deterring the Russians and deterring one's own childern..."

Published in 1960 by Thomas Schelling, this book resulted in one of the most influential modes of thinking for American involvment in the Vietnam War.

Important Points

• Deterrence

"We have learned that a threat has to be credible to be efficacious, and that its credibility may depend on the costs and risks associated with fulfillment for the party making the threat."

• • The method of deterrence is used quiet frequently by the United States as well as other countries in dealing with global conflicts. The major objective of deterrence is to utilize a threat of force to subdue the potential enemy into taking into account the consequences of their actions. The major point of deterrence however is to steer clear of actual military conflict to reduce the use of military force.

• Gang War vs International War
  • This might seem odd to most people but in fact there is a direct correlation that Schelling represents on the aspects of gang war relating directly to the aspects of international war. The major component of the two is that there is a lack of legal systems in place that can regulate or put in place the affairs of these bodies (There might be laws in place in both arenas but the chances of them being followed are slim). There is a constant threat of violence in both with actual wanting of non violence to occur (relating back to deterrence). Both gangs and nations have to maintain a certain level of legitamacy by staying active in the involvment with other nations as well as other gangs. The main point to remember from this is that there is no "higher authority" for the use of contract enforcement.

• Limited War
  • An example of limited war would be to look at a stand off between two nations fighting for boundaries. There is a "hot zone" whereas fighting within that area is understandable and acceptable. However if the fighting was to cross over a certain area into say a main area then it would be known that the "agreement" to keep from an all out war had been broken. It could also be known among both parties that if the defensive party were to retreat to their safety zone it does not mean they would not fight back if provoked beyond that point.

• Focal Point (Schelling Point)

"People can often concert their intentions or expectations with others if each knows that the other is trying to do the same."

• • The focal point can breifly be defined as the obvious choice. As Schelling describes it is important to be able to assume what a partner or in the case of war and enemy will choose to do if it is the obvious choice that benifits each party. A Demonstration was preformed in class that concluded this result.

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