Military escalation is the process of intensifying conflict. It is a critical element of deterrence and understanding it can help military planners and staff officers control the use of force at the tactical and operational levels of battle. Escalation in general involves a means-ends calculus that is constantly assessed by a nation’s political leadership as it determines the amount of violence necessary to meet its desired objectives. This assessment may be influenced by many factors including public rhetoric, changes in capabilities, or patterns of behavior that can lead to unintended consequences.
From the earliest days of warfare, manpower escalation has been a major factor influencing conflict. In this form of escalation, the addition of fresh troops and weapons to a war increases the destructive power of battle and typically leads to more battlefield casualties. The technological escalation of weaponry, beginning with the stone thrown by hand and continuing through the spear, bow, and gun, has also influenced wars. With the advent of the airplane, tank, and motor vehicles came qualitative escalation that raised the cost of war in terms of resources, morale, and even civilian lives.
National security policymakers often express concerns about the potential for conflict escalation and call on rivals to exercise restraint. Yet, their efforts to encourage restraint can have dangerous unintended consequences. They may plant the seeds for future conflict by overemphasizing the value of a status quo that is counterproductive to U.S. interests, or they may overstate the benefits of escalation while understating its costs.