Combat naval de Iquique del 21 mai 1879 - oil on canvas painting by Thomas Somerscales , 19th century
Combat, or fighting, is purposeful violent conflict intended to establish dominance over the opposition.
The term "combat" (French for fight) typically refers to armed conflict between military forces in warfare, whereas the more general term "fighting" can refer to any violent conflict. Combat violence can be unilateral, whereas fighting implies at least a defensive reaction. However, the terms are often used synonymously along with the term "Battle Ready".
Combat may take place under a certain set of rules or be unregulated. Examples of rules include the Geneva Conventions (covering the treatment of soldiers in war), medieval Chivalry, and the Marquess of Queensberry rules (covering boxing).
Combat in warfare involves two or more opposing military organizations, usually fighting for nations at war (although guerrilla warfare and suppression of insurgencies can fall outside this definition). Warfare falls under the laws of war, which govern its purposes and conduct, and protect the rights of soldiers and non-combatants.
Combat may be armed (using weapons), or unarmed (not using weapons). Hand-to-hand combat (melee) is combat at very close range, feeling the opponent with the body (striking, kicking, strangling, etc.) and/or with a melee weapon (knives, swords, batons, etc.), as opposed to a ranged weapon.
Hand-to-hand combat can be further divided into three sections depending on the distance and positioning of the combatants:
- Clinch fighting
- Ground fighting
- Stand-up fighting
References[]
- Martin van Creveld: The Changing Face of War: Lessons of Combat, from the Marne to Iraq. Novato, California 2007.
For Further Reading[]
Wong, Leonard. 2006. “Combat Motivation in Today’s Soldiers: U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute.”Armed Forces & Society, vol. 32: pp. 659-663. http://afs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/4/659
Gifford, Brian. 2005. “Combat Casualties and Race: What Can We Learn from the 2003-2004 Iraq Conflict?” Armed Forces & Society, vol. 31: pp. 201-225. http://afs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/31/2/201
Herspring, Dale. 2006. “Undermining Combat Readiness in the Russian Military, 1992-2005.” Armed Forces & Society, Jul 2006; vol. 32: pp. 513-531. http://afs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/4/513
Ben-Shalom, Uzi; Lehrer, Zeev; and Ben-Ari, Eyal. 2005. “Cohesion during Military Operations: A Field Study on Combat Units in the Al-Aqsa Intifada.” Armed Forces & Society, vol. 32: pp. 63-79. http://afs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/1/63
Woodruff, Todd; Kelty, Ryan; Segal, David R. 2006. “Propensity to Serve and Motivation to Enlist among American Combat Soldiers.” Armed Forces & Society, Apr 2006; vol. 32: pp. 353-366. http://afs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/3/353
Diensfrey, Stephen. 1988. “Women Veterans’ Exposure to Combat.” Armed forces & Society, vol. 14: pp. 549-558. http://afs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/14/4/549== For Further Reading ==
Wong, Leonard. 2006. “Combat Motivation in Today’s Soldiers: U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute.”Armed Forces & Society, vol. 32: pp. 659-663. http://afs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/4/659
Gifford, Brian. 2005. “Combat Casualties and Race: What Can We Learn from the 2003-2004 Iraq Conflict?” Armed Forces & Society, vol. 31: pp. 201-225. http://afs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/31/2/201
Herspring, Dale. 2006. “Undermining Combat Readiness in the Russian Military, 1992-2005.” Armed Forces & Society, Jul 2006; vol. 32: pp. 513-531. http://afs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/4/513
Ben-Shalom, Uzi; Lehrer, Zeev; and Ben-Ari, Eyal. 2005. “Cohesion during Military Operations: A Field Study on Combat Units in the Al-Aqsa Intifada.” Armed Forces & Society, vol. 32: pp. 63-79. http://afs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/1/63
Woodruff, Todd; Kelty, Ryan; Segal, David R. 2006. “Propensity to Serve and Motivation to Enlist among American Combat Soldiers.” Armed Forces & Society, Apr 2006; vol. 32: pp. 353-366. http://afs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/3/353
Diensfrey, Stephen. 1988. “Women Veterans’ Exposure to Combat.” Armed forces & Society, vol. 14: pp. 549-558. http://afs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/14/4/549