The term “collateral damage” originated during the Vietnam War to describe civilian casualties and property damage caused by military operations. It has since been adopted by the business world to describe unintended harm caused by actions. It can also refer to social damage, such as the fallout from a divorce or unexpected death.
Military terminology is often in a state of flux, as is the case with the phrase collateral damage. Prior to the Vietnam War, military news releases rarely addressed the issue of extraneous damage caused by military operations. The mission itself may have been considered a success, but there was little or no information provided on civilian casualties or property damage. During the Vietnam War, however, the term was coined to describe, and some would suggest downplaying, the actual effect of a military campaign on the civilian population.
By portraying civilian losses and property damage as collateral damage, government officials are attempting to deflect criticism of an unusually high civilian death toll. The euphemism is enough to imply such losses, but it does not minimize the success of the overall mission. Phrases like “civilian casualties” are often considered too direct for public consumption.
While the phrase may have its origins in military terminology, it has also found its way into the popular vernacular. The business world is particularly fond of the concept of collateral damage to describe the unintentional damage left as a result of a single action. If a business decides to move its offices out of town, for example, the subsequent loss suffered by local vendors and restaurants could be described as collateral damage.
The sudden closure of a department for financial reasons could also cause collateral damage, as other employees lose their positions as a result of the closure. This damage is usually considered significant but small, which means that the number of losses or the level of damage is still acceptable compared to the overall benefits of the action. Both military and business analysts can consider the perceived amount of unintended harm an action could cause.
Sometimes, the collateral damage occurs at a social level. A divorce, for example, could be said to leave some of this damage behind, as friendships and family relationships disintegrate. Other events such as an unexpected death in the family or a tragic accident could also cause collateral damage, as the lives of others are adversely affected by the sudden change. When a singular event creates sudden upheaval in a number of lives, the resulting fallout could be accurately described using this term.
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