Social Problems - Ch. 18

War

a violent conflict between nations or organized groups

Peace

the absence of violent conflict

Weapons of mass destruction

weapons with the capacity to kill millions of thousands of people at a time

Total war

deadly conflict directed at not only military targets, but also population centers

Concentration camps

centers where prisoners are confined for purposes of state security, exploitation, punishment, or execution

War crime

an offence against the law of war as established by international agreements and international law

Nuclear weapons

bombs that use atomic reactions to generate enormous destructive force

Nuclear proliferation

the acquisition of nuclear weapon technology by more and more nations

Stability instability paradox

 the assertion that the fear of nuclear weapons being used in war may may make conventional war more likely

Arms control

international agreements on the development, testing, production, and deployment of weapons

Terrorism

unlawful, typically random acts of violence or the threat of violence by an individual, group, or government to achieve a political, economic, or social goals

State sponsored terrorism

the practice by one government providing money, weapons, and training to terrorists who engage in violence in another nation

Repressive state terrorism

government use of violence within its own national borders to suppress political opposition

crimes against peace, violations of the laws or customs of war, and crimes against humanity

3 Types of War Crimes

The Geneva Conventions(1949)

A series of international treaties, primarily the four 1949 Conventions, that establish international legal standards for the humanitarian treatment of individuals during wartime and armed conflict.

Draft Policy 1973

the U.S. military transitioned to an all-volunteer force, officially ending the draft

military-industrial complex

the close association of the federal gov., the military, and the defense industries.