Military Strength v The Will to Win

It is reasonable to assume that, in general terms, the country with greatest resources will invariably win a protracted war. The American Civil War instantly springs to mind whereby Federal resources, in conjunction with an ability to deprive the Confederacy of theirs, ensured an eventual win.

In cases whereby the sides were pretty much even, although resources may have not been, attrition is very much the name of the game. During the Napoleonic Wars, Britain was able to maintain trading links around the world. Despite the uneven resources in manpower, British economic might and geographical position allowed the continued ‘bank rolling’ of the war until the French war effort eventually collapsed.

However, sometimes it is necessary to set aside logic and wonder where things went wrong. During the American Revolution, Great Britain appeared to have all the things going for it. Wealth, manpower and support from a sizeable proportion of the population. But this brings in another factor; which sees the biggest side losing against all the odds. That of the ‘will to win’. There are times when the lesser power demonstrates that it refuses to be beaten, and that the larger protagonist decides continuation is not worth the cost.

During the American Revolution, such a time came during the winter of 1777 at Valley Forge. Despite, numerous losses in battle, from the cold, and from disease, an Army that should have simply ceased to exist was, by the summer of 1778, one to reckon with. I would argue that the Continental Army, in itself, was never particularly effective. But that is for another day. What is important is that a continued existence sent out a statement to the British government; “You can’t make us go away, and we’re not going to do so!”

The Americans were to find this out during the North Vietnamese Thet Offensive, in April 1968. Although the Thet Offensive was a military failure for the North Vietnamese, it sent a message to the American public. The same one sent to the British, some 200 years previously. “You can’t make us go away, and we’re not going to do so!”

Unfortunately, Allied Forces have now encountered the same problem in Iraq. Countries such as Spain and Italy had already made the decision that costs were too high. Now it appears that the United States has once again reached the same conclusion, that the costs are just not worth it, and is beginning to initiate the process of withdrawal.