Need help in understanding the difference between Yet and semicolon

Question

Source- Manhattan SC book
Correct- 
Between 1998 and 2003, there was heavy fighting in Parthia AMONG numerous 
armed  factions; this conflict,  so much more complicated than a conventional war between two states, involved no FEWER than eight countries and twenty-five militia

Incorrect
Between 1998 and 2003, there was heavy fighting in Parthia AMONG numerous 
armed  factions yet this conflict,  so much more complicated than a conventional war between two states, involved no FEWER than eight countries and twenty-five militia

Explanation in book:
Yet should be a semicolon. Yet is illogical because the action in the second clause (this conflict ... militias) did not happen despite the action in the first clause (Between .. factions), as a word such as yet suggests.

I request you to give more clarity on usage of yet and semicolon in above case
 bb   carcass   egmat   GMATNinja   VeritasKarishma   Tommy  Wallach

AjiteshArun · Answer

Hi  priyanshu14 ,

Pasting my response from the main chatroom here.

One way to use a semicolon is to join two related independent clauses. When we read a semicolon, we read it as a (significant) pause, but we must infer the intended meaning ourselves, as a semicolon on its own doesn’t tell us anything about the logical relationship between the two clauses it joins.

Yet , however, does carry a meaning (~"nevertheless" here). The sentence you read is trying to say "heavy fighting among numerous parties, more complicated than between two parties". These ideas need something that allows us to continue reading this as a bunch of ideas moving in the same direction.  Yet  doesn’t make sense here because the last idea ("more complicated than between two parties") is meant to support the "numerous parties" idea. It’s not supposed to move in the other direction.

priyanshu14 · Answer

Dear Sir,

Thanks for prompt response  AjiteshArun , I have follow up question to enhance my understanding. If use of "yet" is for "nevertheless", then use of But is also same. 
And there is difference between "But" and "yet" in GMAT and general english.
Please enlighten.

Thanks

AjiteshArun · Answer

Hi  priyanshu14 ,

But  and  yet  can be conjunctions, in which case they are very similar in meaning (they can both be used to indicate a contrast, although  yet  also carries the additional emphasis of  nevertheless ). They can also be used in other ways (  yet   as an adverb,   but   as an adverb or as a preposition).

Did you come across a question that forced you to choose between the two? If you did, you can link to it in this thread.

Need help in understanding the difference between Yet and semicolon

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