Sun Zi defines contested territory as land that would benefit both sides in a conflict if either side were to hold the land. It tends to occupy an area of strategic advantage that would have a strong possibility of turning the tide in one direction or another in their conflict (Zi). One example of this would be the Panama Canal, as it allows movement from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to go all the way around the tip of South America. If a hostile power held this canal, that power would have significant sway over its competitors and any other neighboring countries. While that advantage would have been even more decisive before the era of airplane travel or train travel, it even would remain sizable in a modern era given the amount of commodity shipping that takes place by sea. Another example of this would be the English Channel. In a number of ways, it ended up being what saved the British Isles from Hitler, and it was what made the Norman Conquest such an accomplishment. While the Channel is so narrow that it was possible to tunnel beneath it, it is still a strategic body of water separating the Isles from the European continent. It is arguable that in an era of drone and rocket warfare the strategic importance of this sort of body has declined over time, but one would imagine that the British military is still glad to have that barrier between its borders and the Continent. This sort of ground is what made or broke the fortunes of nations, and will continue to do so.
Works Cited
Zi, Sun. “The Art of War.” n.d. Web. 27 April 2016.
