eli5 Why is it so important to „capture“ the capital city in a war?

Question

Does it really change the outcome of the war? Does a country fall when the capital city is captured?

In: 462

Answer 1

Capital cities usually are also important centers of transportation and logistical infrastructure. This fact is not only important to the government, but often to the supply chains feeding an economy and the war effort. As such, the loss of a capital city can have an outsized effect on the ability to continue the war, even if the government itself is still intact.