Show of force

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Show of force is a military term for an operation intended to warn or intimidate an opponent and to showcase one's own capability or will to act if provoked.

Shows of force have historically been undertaken mostly by a military actor unwilling to engage in all-out hostilities, but fearing to 'lose face' (i.e. to appear weak). By performing a carefully calculated provocation, the opponent is to be shown that violent confrontation remains an option, and that there will be no (or no further) backing off on the principle the show of force is to defend.^[1] Shows of force may be actual military operations, but in times of official peace, they may also be limited to military exercises.^[2]

[edit] Risk of escalation

Shows of force have a high risk of going beyond their intended scope, or of causing unintended levels of response - from an opponent who is either unaware of the limited nature of the operation, or unwilling to limit his own response.

Most shows of force however are intended to be tightly limited - i.e. an incursion or martial demonstration of carefully planned extent, with a 'step back' often planned afterwards to show that there was an ulterior motive behind the activity.

[edit] Historical examples

Doolittle Raid, the first US bombing of the Japanese home islands after the Attack on Pearl Harbor.
Operation Paul Bunyan, a dawn raid in the Korean Demilitarized Zone, a reaction to the slaying of two US soldiers.
Eagle Mission 4, a mercy mission mounted by the Indian Air Force to airdrop humanitarian relief supplies over the besieged town of Jaffna on 4 June 1987. It was undertaken as a symbolic act of support for the Tamil Tigers two days after a previous effort, in the form of a small naval flotilla, was thwarted by the Sri Lankan Navy.