War has changed significantly over mankind’s thousands of years, but in this modern-day era, Geoffrey Parker attempts to explain the phenomena of the ‘western way of war.’ Developed initially in his writings on warfare, Parker claims that the ‘western’ nations – mainly Europe and the United States – employ a particular kind of warfare that aligns with certain beliefs and strategies of the western world. There are several basic factors composing the ‘western way of war’ as Parker explains it. Historically, these aspects have contributed to the western style of warfare.

• Military theory. Despite hundreds of years of development and warfare, the mindset of westerns regarding war has remained essentially constant. Basic philosophies on war have applied to westerners fairly equally, ever since Roman times. There has been no great shift or alteration away from the same basic militant principles that governed armies hundreds of years ago. For example, all western warfare wins hinge on decisiveness. Opponents must surrender fully or be otherwise soundly defeated before a war can be finished with.
• Competition. Many western nations live in harmony; however, if the Cold War is any indicator, those nations still compete for strength and war-readiness. Historically, non-western nations did not often have the same drive to ‘have more nukes’ or ‘have better nukes’ than the other nation. Military and technological competition between western nations inspired a more intense focus on warfare technology and readiness.
• Technological advantage. Partially due to competition, ideologies and resources, western nations have typically had more advanced weaponry than non-western. For example, though gunpowder was developed in the East, it was often not widely produced and used for war purposes until it arrived in the West. Much of the western world’s technology and advancements are directly related to success in war. Better technology also meant that armies did not have to worry as much about individual numbers, especially when opposing massive eastern armies.
• Individual excellence. Instead of relying on a large amount of basically trained soldiers, westerns have long supported the idea of special, individualized training for their troops. This is seen, even today, in groups like the United States marines. By disciplining, educating and training individual soldiers to become skilled, intelligent fighters, westerners can seek to even the odds if they are outnumbered. Better fighters, after all, win more often.

The ‘western way of war,’ as Parker describes it, revolves mainly around a competitive and richly traditional mindset, technological superiority and disciplined soldiers. Adaptability to changing environments and conflicts also compromises a key part of the ‘western way of war.’