No description or sight of the horrors of war will ever stop people from participating in it. One of the reasons for this is that, in contemplating the horrors of war, each of us arrives involuntarily at the implicit, vaguely defined thought that, if such a horrible affair exists and is allowed to exist, then there must be reasons for it that are not revealed to us. This thought can often lead to quite principled people defending war, seeking out its more positive aspects, in the way they look for the positive aspects of natural disasters, but quite forgetting that, in the case of war, they are the ones who are responsible for it.
Tolstoy
War is now more terrible than ever. Its most refined and sophisticated artist, the brilliant General von Moltke, gave the following strange answer to a group of peace delegates:
“War is sacred, it is a divine enterprise, one of the world’s sacred commandments. It sustains great and noble thoughts in people, such as honour, selflessness, virtue and courage – in a word, it saves people from repugnant materialism.”
So to herd four hundred thousand people together in a single group, to be on the move night and day without rest, to stop thinking about anything, to stop studying, or learning, or reading, to be of no use to anyone, to rot in filth, to sleep in mud, to live like cattle, to ransack cities, to burn down villages, to ravage whole nations – and then, on coming up against a similarly sized horde of humans, to launch yourselves on them, to spill oceans of blood, to leave fields covered in human flesh and piles of corpses, to be disfigured and crippled, to be smashed to bits for no reason whatsoever and, finally, to die on some foreign field while your parents, your wife and your children are all at home dying from starvation – that’s how you save people from repugnant materialism.
Maupassant, ‘Afloat’ (‘Sur l’eau’, 1888)
It is false to say that the existence of war proves its necessity. Man’s conscience says that this is a lie and that war should not exist.
Tolstoy
The quotes by Tolstoy and Maupassant collectively present a poignant critique of war, challenging the romanticized notions and justifications often attached to it. Tolstoy's observation that the horrors of war fail to dissuade participation underscores a troubling human tendency: the search for hidden, possibly noble reasons behind such senseless violence. This justification, however vague and unsupported, paradoxically leads some to defend war, akin to finding positive aspects in natural disasters while ignoring their devastating impacts. Tolstoy unequivocally rejects this rationalization, asserting that war's existence contradicts any claim of necessity asserted by societal conventions.
Maupassant, through a stark depiction of war's realities, amplifies Tolstoy's critique. He portrays war not as a noble enterprise, but as an abhorrent spectacle that dehumanizes its participants and ravages societies. The stark contrast between the ideals touted by figures like General von Moltke and the brutal reality faced by soldiers and civilians alike paints war as a travesty, not a divine mandate. Maupassant's vivid imagery of suffering, destruction, and personal sacrifice serves to dismantle any notion that war, in its execution, serves lofty ideals such as honor or virtue.
Unfortunately, dear readers, I don’t think many of you have the decision-making power to effect how our country engages in war. So let’s gear these reflection questions towards our personal sphere of influence:
1. How can I ensure that my decisions in challenging situations prioritize diplomacy and dialogue over aggression or confrontation?
2. What steps can I take in my community or workplace to foster understanding and resolve conflicts peacefully?
3. How might I support organizations or initiatives that promote conflict resolution and humanitarian aid in regions affected by war or violence?
-Ryan Parmenter