HISET Social Studies Practice

During which war did the concept of total war become apparent, especially regarding civilian involvement?

1. The Hundred Years War

2. The Cold War

3. The Korean War

4. The World Wars

The correct answer is: The World Wars

The concept of total war became particularly evident during the World Wars, notably World War I and World War II. Total war refers to a conflict in which nations mobilize all available resources, and the distinction between combatants and non-combatants becomes blurred. This means that civilians are often involved in or are targets of military operations, resulting in significant civilian casualties and widespread destruction. In World War I, the entire society was mobilized for the war effort, with industries producing weapons and supplies, and propaganda aimed at rallying public support. But it was during World War II that the concept of total war reached its peak, with the bombing of cities, blockades, and the targeting of civilian infrastructure as legitimate military objectives. This was exemplified by events like the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as the strategic bombings of German cities, which aimed to destroy not just military targets but to weaken the enemy's capacity to wage war through the destruction of their industrial and civilian resources. The other options, while involving significant military conflict, did not exhibit the same extent of total war. For example, the Cold War was characterized by ideological struggle rather than direct large-scale military engagement, and the Korean War, while significant, did not involve the