An extremely interesting article on war and demographics

texassapper's Avatar
Who will win a post-heroic war? Neither side is prepared to fight

https://unherd.com/2024/06/who-will-win-a-post-heroic-war/
It is an interesting article. However, I don't agree with the premise that it all comes down to fertility rates. Russia, in particular, seems to be returning to its philosophy of winning by attrition.

Given the right circumstances, I think most countries would be willing to step up and take more losses, there just needs to be the right incentive to fight.
Interesting.
The Soviet Unions combat strategy in WW-2 was based largely in part on an unlimited supply of combat troops.

It was reported that upon meeting Marshal Zukoff, the most successful of the Red Army commanders, he was taken aback by Zukoff’s indifference to casualty rates. He simply sacrificed as many as it took.

I think there is a valid question in asking if The United States could wage a war such as we did in WW-2, with thousands of soldiers dying in a few days to do nothing more than secure an obscure island in the Pacific Ocean.

Actually, it is probably a moot point. We now weapons that can wipe out hundreds of thousands in a matter of minutes. Sure, China has a People’s Republic Army of millions. North Korea boasts that every citizen is a soldier.

Big deal. They could all be turned into smoldering cinders by the power of one Nuclear Submarine. All that has to happen is the will to do it.