Americans mental assessment of war is that it is an all out slog, you gear up the entire country and fight to the death. Of course, that image is changing as th

Americans mental assessment of war is that it is an all out slog, you gear up the entire country and fight to the death. Of course, that image is changing as the US continues to engage in protracted conflicts in ponzi states like Afghanistan, Korea and so forth. However - for older nations, especially european ones, war is another tool in the chest of diplomacy, and may not be viewed as 'all encompassing'. To understand that war is just another lever of power can help Americans make better sense of conflicts.