43 War and peace

A War and violence

War is often seen as a last resort1 when relations between states break down totally and
diplomacy2 and such measures as economic sanctions3 have failed. The decision to take
military action is rarely made lightly, since even the best-planned military operations carried
out with the benefit of the latest hi-tech weaponry4 inevitably result in civilian casualties5.
Military intervention6 may be carried out with the goal of regime change7, but it is often the
leaders of tyrannical8 regimes who are the most difficult to overthrow9. Even more tragic than
wars between states is civil war10, which often begins with civil unrest11 and clashes12 between
rival13 ethnic14 religious or political groups, and may escalate15 into all-out16 war and end
in the brutal suppression17 of one group by another or, in extreme cases, ethnic cleansing18
and massacres19. Conflict resolution20 may take years to bring into effect, and mistrust21 and
hatred22 between groups within the same country may continue for many years.
1
something you do when everything else has failed2 activities concerning the relationships between
governments3 official orders, such as the stopping of trade, taken against a country to make it obey
international law4 weapons in general / of different types5 people injured or killed who are not
members of the military or the police6 intentionally becoming involved in a difficult situation to
improve it or stop it from getting worse7 changing the government or leader of a country, especially
by force8 using power in a cruel way over people in a country or group9 remove somebody from
power using force10 war between groups who live in the same country11 disagreement or fighting
between groups12 fights or arguments13 who compete against one another14 national or racial
15
become greater or more serious16 complete and total17 violent and cruel ending of the right or
freedom to do something18 organised attempt by one racial or political group to completely remove
from a country or area anyone who belongs to another particular racial group, using violence to achieve
this19 the killing of large numbers of people20 finding a way to end conflict and the negative
feelings between groups21 lack or absence of trust22 feeling of intense dislike

B Other words and expressions relating to war and peace

Powerful West African rulers waged war on their neighbours in the 19th century. [fought a war
against]
Hostilities finally ceased after five years of bloodshed. [acts of war]
The invading army besieged the city. [attacked by surrounding it for a period of time (noun = siege)]
The patrol was ambushed on a remote highway. [attacked unexpectedly from secret positions
(noun = ambush)]
The two armies signed a truce in 2011. [agreement during a war to stop fighting for a time]
A ceasefire was declared in 2009. [agreement between two armies or groups to stop fighting]
A peacekeeping force entered the country in 2009. [neutral soldiers who keep the peace in a
divided society]
International observers monitored the ceasefire. [outside, neutral people or body]
The rebels fought a long campaign against the dictatorship. The rebellion lasted ten years
before the dictator was defeated. [planned group of military activities] [people fighting against their
government]
A suicide bomber killed 25 people at a military base yesterday. [person who lets off explosives,
deliberately killing themselves in the process]

C Metaphors of warfare
The government is waging war on drink-driving.
Paparazzi are besieging the stars Hollywood home.
A major advertising campaign was planned to launch the new cosmetics range.
Several companies are battling to win market supremacy in sales of smartphones.
We have a major fight on our hands if we are to save the company from bankruptcy.
A fleet of bullet-proof cars followed the Presidents limousine. [a fleet normally consists of a large
number of ships]

92 English Vocabulary in Use Advanced