What does it mean when a military “takes control” of the opposing country’s city during a war?
In: 311
This is complex to explain as ELI5… The question is twofold, and I think you mean both the administrative and the military side of it. First you should ask yourself what it means for a governmening body to have administrative control of a city/town/village. It means that they have established control over the population in the area, who are then compelled into following their rules. This is mostly done through passing and enforcing laws.
So how does one make sure that the citizens follow these laws? Well, violence. You break a law, you go to jail. You are forcibly stripped of your freedom and other rights. Because of this necessary mechanism, the state needs to be the only entity allowed to inflict violence upon its population. You can’t have other organizations or individuals causing violence – and enforcing their rules through violent coercion. The other third party “brokers of violence”, so to speak, must not be allowed to use violence inside the borders. It’s why you see mall security or private security firms calling the cops – they can’t be allowed to enforce their own rules on the population, they must go through the legal framework for violence.
Now that we’re done with this lengthy context, what does an invading force need to do to control an area? Well, they have to eliminate the threat of violence from the old governing body and enforce laws through their own newfound monopoly on violence. All you have to do is force the local military out(the combat force that can realistically resist violence), take over government buildings and either oust the old officials and put new ones in place, or force them to comply to your new laws through the use of violence.
You don’t even necessarily need an old governing body to take over. You can just employ violence on the local population from the get-go and coerce them into compliance that way. Parade a few tanks through town, shoot a few detractors, make sure key locations stay occupied by your forces. And then just handle administrative business with your own officials in charge.
As for the military capture side of it, it’s a bit more vague but it just means the local army has been forced to withdraw completely from the combat zone and the invading army is now entrenching defensive positions, and working on administrative control over the area to force the local population to collaborate with the invasion, such that they can set up outposts safely to conduct logistical and command operations.
Latest Answers