Intercultural communication is an integral part of the contemporary world. Today, government and services that support them, including armed services, inevitably engage in communication with the representatives of other cultures, creating a need for a deeper understanding of foreign values, customs, and traditions. In the military, competent intercultural communication and comprehension of enemy culture enhance the ability of distinct units and armed forces as a whole to perform their duties in the context of urban warfare.
Intercultural communication competence and cultural understanding and knowledge are essential in the military field as it improves the ability of different units to carry out their assigned missions and increase the probability of desired outcomes. Thus, intercultural competence and cultural intelligence are crucial for military operations undertaken in densely-populated areas. Specifically, the ability to understand various social, cultural, political, economic, and ethnographic elements elevates urban warfare and ensures the relevance of military operations and their effectiveness (Dostri and Michael 2019, 85). By learning about the culture and values of the enemy, army units can adjust their operations by predicting the potential responses of the communities within which these actions are carried out. Overall, intercultural communication translates into knowledge that can be effectively utilized to enhance the performance of units engaged in urban warfare.
In summary, modern armed forces operate within the context of continuous communication with representatives of different cultures, including those of the opponent side. Therefore, a deep understanding of different facets of foreign cultures is required for success in modern warfare. In particular, knowledge of the culture and values of the opponents allows the armed forces to carry out their duties in densely populated urban areas efficiently.
Reference
Dostri, Omer, and Kobi Michael. 2019. “The Role of Human Terrain and Cultural Intelligence in Contemporary Hybrid and Urban Warfare.” The International Journal of Intelligence, Security, and Public Affairs 21(1): 84–102. Web.