Civil war

Quick Facts: Who was Civil war?

Subject:

Civil war

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A violent conflict within a country fought by organized groups aiming to change power or policy.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies. The term is a calque of Latin bellum civile which was used to refer to the various civil wars of the Roman Republic in the 1st century BC. Civil here means "of/related to citizens", a civil war being a war between the citizenry, rather than with an outsider. Most modern civil wars involve intervention by outside powers.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

According to Patrick M. Regan in his book Civil Wars and Foreign Powers (2000) about two thirds of the 138 intrastate conflicts between the end of World War II and 2000 saw international intervention. A civil war is often a high-intensity conflict, often involving regular armed forces, that is sustained, organized and large-scale. Civil wars may result in large numbers of casualties and the consumption of significant resources. Civil wars since the end of World War II have lasted on average just over four years, a dramatic rise from the one-and-a-half-year average of the 1900–1944 period. While the rate of emergence of new civil wars has been relatively steady since the mid-19th century, the increasing length of those wars has resulted in increasing numbers of wars ongoing at any one time.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

For example, there were no more than five civil wars underway simultaneously in the first half of the 20th century while there were over 20 concurrent civil wars close to the end of the Cold War. Since 1945, civil wars have resulted in the deaths of over 25 million people, as well as the forced displacement of millions more. Civil wars have further resulted in economic collapse; Somalia, Burma (Myanmar), Uganda and Angola are examples of nations that were considered to have had promising futures before being engulfed in civil wars. James Fearon, a scholar of civil wars at Stanford University, defines a civil war as "a violent conflict within a country fought by organized groups that aim to take power at the center or in a region, or to change government policies". Ann Hironaka further specifies that one side of a civil war is the state.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1900: 1900 Milestone — Civil wars since the end of World War II have lasted on average just over four years, a dramatic rise from the one-and-a-half-year average of the 1900–1944 period.
2. 1945: 1945 Milestone — Since 1945, civil wars have resulted in the deaths of over 25 million people, as well as the forced displacement of millions more.
3. 2000: 2000 Milestone — Regan in his book Civil Wars and Foreign Powers (2000) about two thirds of the 138 intrastate conflicts between the end of World War II and 2000 saw international intervention.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Civil war

True or False: “The term 'civil war' originated from the Roman Republic conflicts of the 1st century BC.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While the modern concept is derived from Latin *bellum civile*, the specific historical reference point for the term's usage in antiquity was not solely limited to the 1st century BC.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Agustín Barrios — Historical peer (Died in 1944) (1944): Paraguayan virtuoso classical guitarist and composer, celebrated for his prolific works.
• Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi — Historical peer (Born in 1945) (1945): Yemeni politician who served as the second President of Yemen from 2012 to 2022.
• Adolf Hitler — Historical peer (Died in 1945) (1945): Austrian-born German politician who became dictator of Germany during the Nazi era.

Frequently Asked Questions about Civil war