Games people play: The (sometimes) serious business of war gaming
Games people play: The (sometimes) serious business of war gaming
Games people play: The (sometimes) serious business of war gaming
By Murray Brewster
November 11, 2022
Summary
The effect of war games on society - and history - is becoming a major field of study in Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere.
Matthew Caffrey, a civilian coordinator of wargaming for the U.S. Air Force, has been immersed in the study and analysis of war games for decades.
"In the Greek democracies, people played war games, which I think speaks volumes," said Caffrey, who noted that the Greeks believed the games made for better citizens.
The Americans credit their pre-1941 naval war games with helping them win the Pacific war against Japan.
The commercial industry exploded with Second World War board games.
The arrival of computers gave us games like Civilization, which Caffrey classifies as a war game.
"One way I like to sum it up very quickly is, war games help develop strategists and strategies. So, war games can help an individual think more strategically and be more effective in developing strategies."
Reference
Brewster, M. (2022, November 11). Games people play: The (sometimes) serious business of war gaming | CBC news. Retrieved November 17, 2022, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/war-games-canadian-war-museum-1.6648537