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Show of force - Wikipedia
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mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Show of force</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. 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href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show_of_Force" title="Show of Force – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Show of Force" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%86%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B4_%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%AA" title="نمایش قدرت – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="نمایش قدرت" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9monstration_de_force" title="Démonstration de force – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Démonstration de force" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EB%AC%B4%EB%A0%A5%EC%8B%9C%EC%9C%84" title="무력시위 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="무력시위" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-kk mw-list-item"><a href="https://kk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D2%AF%D1%88_%D0%BA%D3%A9%D1%80%D1%81%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%83" title="Күш көрсету – Kazakh" lang="kk" hreflang="kk" data-title="Күш көрсету" data-language-autonym="Қазақша" data-language-local-name="Kazakh" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Қазақша</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%BB%8D%E4%BA%8B%E7%9A%84%E7%A4%BA%E5%A8%81%E6%B4%BB%E5%8B%95" title="軍事的示威活動 – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="軍事的示威活動" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maktdemonstrasjon" title="Maktdemonstrasjon – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Maktdemonstrasjon" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nn mw-list-item"><a href="https://nn.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maktdemonstrasjon" title="Maktdemonstrasjon – Norwegian Nynorsk" lang="nn" hreflang="nn" data-title="Maktdemonstrasjon" data-language-autonym="Norsk nynorsk" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Nynorsk" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk nynorsk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-oc mw-list-item"><a href="https://oc.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demonstracion_de_f%C3%B2r%C3%A7a" title="Demonstracion de fòrça – Occitan" lang="oc" hreflang="oc" data-title="Demonstracion de fòrça" data-language-autonym="Occitan" data-language-local-name="Occitan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Occitan</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%94%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8B" title="Демонстрация силы – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Демонстрация силы" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voimann%C3%A4ytt%C3%B6" title="Voimannäyttö – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Voimannäyttö" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Suomi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a 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<div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Open demonstration of military power intended to warn or to intimidate an opponent</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:160618-N-OI810-085_(27916896695).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/160618-N-OI810-085_%2827916896695%29.jpg/220px-160618-N-OI810-085_%2827916896695%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="147" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/160618-N-OI810-085_%2827916896695%29.jpg/330px-160618-N-OI810-085_%2827916896695%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/160618-N-OI810-085_%2827916896695%29.jpg/440px-160618-N-OI810-085_%2827916896695%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="3936" data-file-height="2624" /></a><figcaption>The aircraft carriers USS <i>John C. Stennis</i> (CVN 74) and USS <i>Ronald Reagan</i> (CVN 76) conducting dual aircraft carrier strike group operations and showing presence in the Indo-Asia-Pacific.</figcaption></figure> <p>A <b>show of force</b> is a <a href="/wiki/Military_operation" title="Military operation">military operation</a> intended to warn (such as a <a href="/wiki/Warning_shot" title="Warning shot">warning shot</a>) or to intimidate an opponent by showcasing a capability or will to act if one is provoked. Shows of force may also be executed by police forces and other armed, non-military groups. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Function">Function</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Show_of_force&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Function"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:AH-64_firing_flare.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/AH-64_firing_flare.jpg/220px-AH-64_firing_flare.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="146" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/AH-64_firing_flare.jpg/330px-AH-64_firing_flare.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/AH-64_firing_flare.jpg/440px-AH-64_firing_flare.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2818" data-file-height="1866" /></a><figcaption>Many strike missions by aircraft over insurgency areas involve the use of <a href="/wiki/Flare" title="Flare">flare</a> drops and low-level passes only and are intended to intimidate suspected enemy forces rather than to be immediately used for attacks.</figcaption></figure> <p>Shows of force have historically been undertaken mostly by a military actor unwilling to engage in all-out hostilities, but fearing to 'lose face' (to appear weak). By performing a carefully calculated provocation, the opponent is to be shown that violent confrontation remains an option, and there will be no backing off on the principle that the show of force is to defend.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Shows of force may be actual military operations, but in times of official peace, they may also be limited to <a href="/wiki/Military_exercise" title="Military exercise">military exercises</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Shows of force also work on a smaller scale: military forces on a tactical level using mock attacks to deter potential opponents, especially when a real attack on suspected (but unconfirmed) enemies might harm civilians. As an example, most air "attacks" during <a href="/wiki/Operation_Enduring_Freedom" title="Operation Enduring Freedom">Operation Enduring Freedom</a> and <a href="/wiki/Operation_Iraqi_Freedom" class="mw-redirect" title="Operation Iraqi Freedom">Operation Iraqi Freedom</a> have been simple shows of force with jet aircraft dropping <a href="/wiki/Flare" title="Flare">flares</a> only while making loud, low-level passes. A 2009 12-month report for Afghanistan noted 18,019 strike sorties by US military aircraft, with weapons use for only 3,330 of the missions.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notable_examples">Notable examples</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Show_of_force&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Notable examples"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Axe_murder_incident#Operation_Paul_Bunyan" class="mw-redirect" title="Axe murder incident">Operation Paul Bunyan</a>, a dawn-period military raid on August 21, 1976 by US and UNC forces into the <a href="/wiki/Korean_Demilitarized_Zone" title="Korean Demilitarized Zone">Korean Demilitarized Zone</a>, a reaction to the unprovoked slaying of two US Army officers by <a href="/wiki/Korean_People%27s_Army" title="Korean People's Army">North Korean troops</a> following the infamous "<a href="/wiki/Axe_Murder_Incident" class="mw-redirect" title="Axe Murder Incident">Axe Murder Incident</a>."</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Poomalai" title="Operation Poomalai">Operation Poomalai</a>, on 4 June 1987, the <a href="/wiki/Indian_Air_Force" title="Indian Air Force">Indian Air Force</a> mounted a mercy mission to airdrop humanitarian relief supplies over the besieged town of <a href="/wiki/Jaffna" title="Jaffna">Jaffna</a> in <a href="/wiki/Sri_Lanka" title="Sri Lanka">Sri Lanka</a> during the <a href="/wiki/Sri_Lankan_civil_war" title="Sri Lankan civil war">Sri Lankan Civil War</a>. The mission was undertaken as a symbolic act of support for the <a href="/wiki/Tamil_Tigers" class="mw-redirect" title="Tamil Tigers">Tamil Tigers</a> two days after a previous unarmed effort which was mounted in the form of a small naval flotilla and was thwarted by the <a href="/wiki/Sri_Lanka_Navy" title="Sri Lanka Navy">Sri Lankan Navy</a>.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Third_Taiwan_Strait_Crisis" title="Third Taiwan Strait Crisis">Third Taiwan Strait Crisis</a>, was the effect of a series of missile tests conducted by the <a href="/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_China" class="mw-redirect" title="People's Republic of China">People's Republic of China</a> in the waters surrounding <a href="/wiki/Taiwan" title="Taiwan">Taiwan</a> including the <a href="/wiki/Taiwan_Strait" title="Taiwan Strait">Taiwan Strait</a> from 21 July 1995 to 23 March 1996. The first set of missiles fired in mid to late 1995 were allegedly intended to send a strong signal to the <a href="/wiki/Republic_of_China" class="mw-redirect" title="Republic of China">Republic of China</a> government under <a href="/wiki/Lee_Teng-hui" title="Lee Teng-hui">Lee Teng-hui</a>, who had been seen as moving ROC foreign policy away from the <a href="/wiki/One-China_policy" class="mw-redirect" title="One-China policy">One-China policy</a>. The second set of missiles were fired in early 1996, allegedly intending to intimidate the Taiwanese electorate in the run-up to the <a href="/wiki/1996_Republic_of_China_presidential_election" class="mw-redirect" title="1996 Republic of China presidential election">1996 presidential election</a>.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/ECOWAS_military_intervention_in_the_Gambia" title="ECOWAS military intervention in the Gambia">Operation Restore Democracy</a> in <a href="/wiki/Gambia" class="mw-redirect" title="Gambia">Gambia</a> to remove the former president <a href="/wiki/Yahya_Jammeh" title="Yahya Jammeh">Yahya Jammeh</a>. Nigerian jets flew over <a href="/wiki/Banjul" title="Banjul">Banjul</a> and <a href="/wiki/Economic_Community_of_West_African_States" class="mw-redirect" title="Economic Community of West African States">ECOWAS</a> forces surrounded Gambia's borders to deter resistance from the smaller Gambian army.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Show_of_force&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Demoralization_(warfare)" title="Demoralization (warfare)">Demoralization (warfare)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Deterrence_theory" title="Deterrence theory">Deterrence theory</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gunboat_diplomacy" title="Gunboat diplomacy">Gunboat diplomacy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Peace_through_strength" title="Peace through strength">Peace through strength</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shock_and_awe" title="Shock and awe">Shock and awe</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Show_of_force&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2006/6/28/israel-in-gaza-show-of-force">"Israel in Gaza show of force"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/Al_Jazeera_English" title="Al Jazeera English">Al Jazeera</a></i>. 29 June 2006.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Al+Jazeera&rft.atitle=Israel+in+Gaza+show+of+force&rft.date=2006-06-29&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aljazeera.com%2Fnews%2F2006%2F6%2F28%2Fisrael-in-gaza-show-of-force&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AShow+of+force" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBrookes2004" class="citation news cs1">Brookes, Peter (2 August 2004). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.heritage.org/defense/commentary/show-force">"Show of Force"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/The_Heritage_Foundation" title="The Heritage Foundation">The Heritage Foundation</a></i>. <a href="/wiki/New_York_Post" title="New York Post">New York Post</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Heritage+Foundation&rft.atitle=Show+of+Force&rft.date=2004-08-02&rft.aulast=Brookes&rft.aufirst=Peter&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heritage.org%2Fdefense%2Fcommentary%2Fshow-force&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AShow+of+force" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFDavid_Wood2009" class="citation news cs1">David Wood (13 July 2009). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090717000320/http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/07/13/why-congress-is-at-war-with-the-air-force-to-save-the-f-22">"Why Congress is at War with the Air Force to Save the F-22"</a>. <i>Politics Daily</i>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/07/13/why-congress-is-at-war-with-the-air-force-to-save-the-f-22/">the original</a> on 17 July 2009.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Politics+Daily&rft.atitle=Why+Congress+is+at+War+with+the+Air+Force+to+Save+the+F-22&rft.date=2009-07-13&rft.au=David+Wood&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politicsdaily.com%2F2009%2F07%2F13%2Fwhy-congress-is-at-war-with-the-air-force-to-save-the-f-22%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AShow+of+force" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <!-- NewPP limit report Parsed by mw‐web.codfw.main‐7c4dcdbb87‐gzlnr Cached time: 20241203083845 Cache expiry: 2592000 Reduced expiry: false Complications: [vary‐revision‐sha1, show‐toc] CPU time usage: 0.219 seconds Real time usage: 0.499 seconds Preprocessor visited node count: 469/1000000 Post‐expand include size: 6425/2097152 bytes Template argument size: 1069/2097152 bytes Highest expansion depth: 12/100 Expensive parser function count: 2/500 Unstrip recursion depth: 1/20 Unstrip post‐expand size: 10928/5000000 bytes Lua time usage: 0.131/10.000 seconds Lua memory usage: 3752259/52428800 bytes Number of Wikibase entities loaded: 0/400 --> <!-- Transclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template) 100.00% 440.180 1 -total 76.97% 338.818 1 Template:Reflist 72.62% 319.670 3 Template:Cite_news 18.19% 80.088 1 Template:Short_description 9.62% 42.359 2 Template:Pagetype 5.27% 23.182 4 Template:Main_other 4.64% 20.420 1 Template:SDcat 4.17% 18.361 1 Template:Use_dmy_dates 2.85% 12.531 1 Template:DMCA 2.12% 9.323 1 Template:Dated_maintenance_category --> <!-- Saved in parser cache with key enwiki:pcache:6628041:|#|:idhash:canonical and timestamp 20241203083845 and revision id 1252715666. 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