Отрывок из книги
One legend has it that the Romans adopted a Germanic word for "war", to avoid using the Latin "bellum", because, when sounded, it tended to merge with the sound of the word "bello" - beautiful. War is an organised conflict that is carried out by states or non-state actors. It is personified by extreme violence, disruption, and destruction. War should be understood as an extensive armed conflict between taking sides communities, and consequently is defined as a form of violence or intervention. The set of techniques used by a group to carry out war is known as warfare.
Before the dawn of civilization, war likely consisted of small-scale raiding. One half of the people found in a Nubian cemetery dating to as early as 12,000 years ago had died of violence. Since the rise of the state some 5,000 years ago, military activity has occurred over much of the globe. The advent of gunpowder and the acceleration of technological advances led to modern warfare. According to one source, 14,500 wars have taken place between 3500 BC and the late 20th century, costing 3.5 billion human lives, leaving only 300 years of peace. Approximately 95% of known societies throughout history engaged in at least occasional warfare, and many fought constantly. It is problematic however to suggest that people in past societies are any more violent than people today. In Western Europe, only since the late 18th century, more than 150 conflicts and about 600 battles have taken place.
.....
The military caste in a feudal society is evolved from the warrior class in a tribal society. This includes the Khalsa and Kshatriya castes in ancient India, the samurai class in feudal Japan, and noble knights in feudal Europe.
With the end of the Middle Ages and the professional standing armies of Early Modern warfare, the concept of a "warrior class" or "military caste" became an relic. The term "warrior" is still sometimes used to refer to professional soldiers or mercenaries. In addition to the literal meaning, now mostly historical, the term has acquired a figurative sense referring to a person who shows or has shown great vigor or courage.
.....
