Fourth Generation Warfare

Fourth-generation warfare - Wikipedia

Fourth-generation warfare (4GW) is conflict characterized by a blurring of the distinction between war and politics, and of the distinction between combatants and civilians.

The term was first used in 1980 by a team of United States analysts, including William S. Lind, to describe warfare's return to a decentralized form.

In terms of generational modern warfare, the fourth generation signifies the nation states' loss of their near-monopoly on combat forces, returning to modes of conflict common in pre-modern times.

The simplest definition includes any war in which one of the major participants is not a state but rather a violent non-state actor.

Classical examples of this type of conflict, such as the slave uprising under Spartacus, predate the modern concept of warfare.

Elements

Fourth-generation warfare is defined as conflicts which involve the following elements:

• Complex and long term
• Terrorism (tactic)
• A non-national or transnational base – highly decentralized
• A direct attack on the enemy's culture, including genocidal acts against civilians.
• All available pressures are used – political, economic, social and military
• Occurs in low-intensity conflict, involving actors from all networks
• Non-combatants are tactical dilemmas
• Lack of hierarchy
• Small in size, spread out network of communication and financial support
• Use of insurgency tactics as subversion, terrorism and guerrilla tactics
• Decentralised forces