The generations of warfare are:

* 1st Generation: tactics of line and column; which developed in the age of the smoothbore musket.

* 2nd Generation: tactics of linear fire and movement, with reliance on indirect fire.

* 3rd Generation: tactics of infiltration to bypass and collapse the enemy's combat forces rather than seeking to close with and destroy them; and defense in depth.

Fourth Generation Warfare is asymmetricall warfare which uses traditionally non-military means to achieve military objectives.

Common types of Fourth Generation Warfare are

1. Propaganda or mass media manipulation e.g. Pallywood
2. Economic or financial warfare e.g. 1970's Arab oil embargo, sanctions, attempting to weaken a countrie's currency.
3. Lawfare e.g. international "law"
4. Cyber warfare e.g. Hacking an enemy's computer networks
> China is using Fourth Generation Warfare when it launches thousands of cyber attacks against America's department of defense networks on a daily basis.