War is a terrible evil, the worst catastrophe that could ever happen to humans. It leaves death and destruction behind it, as well as disease, hunger, poverty, and ruin.
In order to estimate the destructive effects of war, one only needs to consider the havoc that was wrought in several countries not many years ago. Modern wars are particularly troubling in that they tend to become global, threatening to encompass the entire planet.
There are people who consider war as grand and heroic and believe it brings out the best in men, but that doesn’t change the fact that war is a terrible, dreadful calamity.
It is especially true now that a war will be fought with atom bombs. Some people believe that war is necessary. In the history of nations, war has been a recurring phenomenon.
There has never been a time in history when war has had such devastating effects. Throughout history, wars of all types have taken place. Because of this, it seems futile to talk about permanent and everlasting peace or to plan its establishment.
The theory of the brotherhood of man and non-violence have been advocates. Mahatma Gandhi, Christ, and the Buddha were advocates. Despite that, weapons have always been used, military force has always been employed, clashes of arms have always occurred; war has always been waged.
In fact, war has been such a permanent feature of every era and period that it has become part of the normal life of nations. Molise, the famous German field marshal, declared war to be part of God’s order of the world. Machiavelli, the author of the famous book, The Prince, defined peace as the interval between two wars.
Poets and prophets have dreamed of a millennium, a utopia in which war will end and eternal peace will reign on Earth. These dreams have not come true. After the Great War of 1914-18, it was believed that there would not be another war for a long time, so an institution called the League of Nations was founded to prevent wars from occurring.
A second war (1939-45), however, proved conclusively that expecting an unbroken peace is unrealistic and that no institution or assembly can ever ensure the permanence of peace.
Due to the tensions and stresses created by Hitler, the League of Nations collapsed. Despite the good work it has done, the United Nations Organization is not as effective as hoped.
Many wars, such as the Vietnam War, one between India and Pakistan, or the Indo-China War, the Iran-Iraq War or the Arab Israel war, have been fought despite UN resolutions. Fighting is a natural instinct in human beings.
It is indeed too much to expect so many nations to live in an eternal state of peace when individuals cannot live always in peace. Additionally, there will always be wide differences of opinion between nations, different viewpoints on issues of international importance, as well as radical differences in policy and ideology that cannot be resolved by mere discussion.
In such circumstances, resorting to war becomes necessary. Before World War II, for instance, the spread of communism in Russia created distrust and suspicion in Europe, democracy was an eyesore to Nazi Germany, and British Conservatives were concerned about a Communist takeover of the country.
Shortly, political ideologies that are abhorrent to those of other countries are certainly not conducive to peace. In addition, there are the traditional enemies between nations and the international disharmony that have their roots in history.
Germany, for example, wished to avenge the humiliating terms she was subjected to following the war of 1914-18 and desired to smash the British Empire and establish her own empire instead. Indeed, it was not healed up from past wounds, which provoked it to seek revenge.
Between the hostile nations, a feverish arms race was underway in anticipation of such an event, and disarmament efforts were failing. A war broke out between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.
Vietnam’s war was caused by ideological differences. Moreover, it appears that if peace were to continue for a long period of time, people would become sick of the monotony of life and would seek war, since a changed man is a highly dynamic creature, and it is evident that he will not be able to be satisfied merely with the fruits of peace-the cultivation of arts, the development of materialism, the extension of knowledge and the means and appliances of happiness.
It is his desire to do something thrilling and exciting and he fights to get an outlet for his accumulated energy. Wars do have their advantages, however. Men respond to it with heroism and self-sacrifice. It inspires scientific research and development. War is obviously an escape from the lethargy of peace.
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