Once upon a time, war was an organized thing.

Princes met on battlefields, armies arrayed against one another amidst banners whipping in the wind.

Borders were redrawn while valiant soldiers and clever generals made their names and fortunes.

Yes, all this time there were also uprisings and rebellions, inserections, leaders were overthrown

through civil unrest and empires crumbled, but the designation

war was reserved for a clash between armies. But the end of World War I set in motion a cascade of events that would change the definition of war.

The Treaty of Versailles brought an end to both the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires,

inspiring all those formerly subject peoples like the Syrians and the Armenians, to think

of themselves as political entities rather than just ethnic groups. Some like the Saudis

were granted vast kingdoms at the negotiating table. Others like the Kurds

were delivered from Ottoman rule only to find themselves subject to brand new governments

in Damascus, Baghdad, Tehran, and Istanbul.

So nationalism flared.

Ancient rivalries reignited, arbitrary borders were hastily drawn,

and new resentments were sown.

Wars were still the province of nation states, but a great many people had seen the promise of liberation only to have their hopes dashed.

Now in the aftermath of World War II, the European colonial system finally collapsed under its own weight.

Liberation movements flared from Africa to into China.

The peoples of these diverse lands were not soldiers in armies they were subject peoples

rising up against decades of foreign rule and they didn't form battalions

they engaged in civil disobedience and sabotage fighting asymmetrical skirmishes in alleys and cafes,

while a revolutionary class of diplomat spoke for their movements.

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