The commander's dilemma, violence and restraint in wartime, Amelia Hoover Green
Type
Label
The commander's dilemma, violence and restraint in wartime, Amelia Hoover Green
Language
eng
Index
no index present
Literary Form
non fiction
Main title
The commander's dilemma
Medium
electronic resource
Nature of contents
dictionaries
Responsibility statement
Amelia Hoover Green
Sub title
violence and restraint in wartime
Summary
Why do some military and rebel groups commit many types of violence, creating an impression of senseless chaos, whereas others carefully control violence against civilians? A classic catch-22 faces the leaders of armed groups and provides the title for Amelia Hoover Green's book. Leaders need large groups of people willing to kill and maim-but to do so only under strict control. How can commanders control violence when fighters who are not under direct supervision experience extraordinary stress, fear, and anger? The Commander's Dilemma argues that discipline is not enough in wartime. Restraint occurs when fighters know why they are fighting and believe in the cause-that is, when commanders invest in political education. Drawing on extraordinary evidence about state and nonstate groups in El Salvador, and extending her argument to the Mano River wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, Amelia Hoover Green shows that investments in political education can improve human rights outcomes even where rational incentives for restraint are weak-and that groups whose fighters lack a sense of purpose may engage in massive violence even where incentives for restraint are strong. Hoover Green concludes that high levels of violence against civilians should be considered a "default setting," not an aberration
Target audience
adult
Classification
Contributor
Creator
Subject
- Political socialization -- El Salvador -- History -- 20th century
- Control (Psychology)
- Civilians in war + Violence against
- Political violence + Psychological aspects
- Electronic books
- Political violence -- El Salvador -- History -- 20th century
- Command of troops + Psychological aspects
- Civilians in war + Violence against -- El Salvador
- El Salvador -- Politics and government -- 1979-1992
Content
Author
Incoming Resources
- Has instance1
Outgoing Resources
- Classification1
- Contributor1
- Creator1
- Subject9
- Political socialization -- El Salvador -- History -- 20th century
- Control (Psychology)
- Civilians in war + Violence against
- Political violence + Psychological aspects
- Electronic books
- Political violence -- El Salvador -- History -- 20th century
- Command of troops + Psychological aspects
- Civilians in war + Violence against -- El Salvador
- El Salvador -- Politics and government -- 1979-1992
- Content1
- Author1