War of annihilation

A war of annihilation (German: Vernichtungskrieg) or war of extermination is a type of war in which the goal is the complete annihilation of a state, a people or an ethnic minority through genocide or through the destruction of their livelihood. The goal can be outward-directed or inward, against elements of one's own population. The goal is not like other types of warfare, the recognition of limited political goals, such as recognition of a legal status (such as in a war of independence), control of disputed territory (as in war of aggression or defensive war), or the total military defeat of an enemy state.

This article is about warfare with the intent of obliterating a state or group of people. For warfare with the intent of entirely incapacitating a military in order to force them to surrender, see Battle of annihilation. For the relationship between war and genocide, see war and genocide.
See also: Total war
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