What is escalation of force?

Answer 1

Escalation of force is increasing the amount of military power being used. It was a critical concept during the cold war, as escalating too rapidly could lead to nuclear war. If a war is being fought entirely by infantry, then the highest amount of force available is what assault rifles and man-portable machine guns can deliver, plus the occasional mortar rig. Sending in tanks to eliminate the enemy is escalation of force, as you're bringing in firepower beyond what was already there.

The Cold War issue was determining where the stopping line was and agreeing to it (with an enemy you're not actually talking to...officially). The enemy sends in attack helicopters to destroy your tanks, you send in fighters to destroy their helicopters, they bring in surface to air missile emplacements to destroy your fighters, you start using cruise missiles to destroy the SAM Sites, they start using bigger weapons to destroy whatever you're launching cruise missiles from...eventually both sides are using their most powerful weapons on eachother. With the cold war, said powerful weapons were capable of depopulating the planet, which neither side wants (but is willing to do to prevent the other from becoming overlords of the world).