Defense (military)

In military science, defense (or defence) is the art of preventing an enemy from conquering territory; usually via fortifications. Defense may also be a euphemism for war.

It is a widly accepted observation that the defending side in a conflict will require substantially fewer resources to win than does the offensive side. However, in situations where the attackers have a technological advantage over the defenders, as, for example, in various cases of colonial expansion, this can be sufficient to overcome the defenders' material resource advantages.

See also: Arms trade