Defence and strategy

Pavel FOLTIN*, David ŘEHÁK**

The paper deals with a possible view of terrorism and a historical classification of its stages. Differences in the manifestation of terror and terrorism mainly on civilian population are considered to be the main factors classifying individual stages of terrorism. The main milestones are perceived to be the end of the 17th century, nationalistic stage ending by the outbreak of World War 1, and a period during the world wars. Cold War ending with the fall of Berlin wall and the current stage, so called the stage of Cold Peace, are the last two stages being studied.