Asymmetric or low intensity conflict was the norm for the British Army for nearly every year of the twentieth century, this despite recent assertions that it is a hallmark of the twenty-first. Whether described as small war, civil disturbance, emergency, internal security, revolt, insurrection, rebellion, insurgency or, simply, terrorism, matters very little. The defining theme is more or less the same – a challenge by the use of force, usually terror, against the authority of the state, colony, mandate or province. This embraces any situation in which regular uniformed British servicemen or women or police forces found themselves in confrontation with irregular armed groups (not distinguished by uniform) whose purpose was overtly political rather than criminal, even though acts of criminality were invariably used.