what is total war and who invented it?

Answer 1

first instances are the battles between Sparta and Athens---peloponesian wars. everybody fights, everybody dies or is captured
us did it---well, Sherman tried to do it when he marched through the south
the\is site says it did not happen until Clausewitz, but that is obviously wrong http://www.encyclopedian.com/to/Total-war.html

Answer 2

Total war is a military conflict in which nations mobilize all available resources in order to destroy another nation's ability to engage in war.
The practice of total war has been in use for centuries, but it was only in the middle to late 19th century that total war was identified by scholars as a separate class of warfare.
Although some may argue that the concept traces back to Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu, the concept of total war is usually traced back to Carl von Clausewitz.

Answer 3

Total War is when one army kills all of its enemy including civilian men, women and children, or takes them as slaves.

As to who invented it, it was so long ago that no one can tell you accurately.

Answer 4

i believe it was William Sherman, the man who basically destroyed the Confederacy Morale and Resources to end the war as quickly as possible. Quote from himself, "The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over."