Definition
A proxy war is an armed conflict in which two or more major powers support opposing sides without engaging each other in direct combat. The powers supply weapons, money, training, or advisers to local forces who do the actual fighting.
Proxy wars were a defining feature of the Cold War. Because direct conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union risked nuclear catastrophe, the superpowers instead competed by backing rival factions and governments in other countries.
Why it matters
How it works
In a proxy war, a major power identifies a local ally — a government or insurgent movement — whose victory would advance its strategic interests. It then channels support to that side while a rival power backs the opposing side.
The local conflict becomes a stage for the larger rivalry. This can escalate the violence, since both sides receive a steady flow of arms and resources, and it ties the outcome of a local struggle to distant geopolitical aims rather than local needs.