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Page added on November 11, 2018
We have not learned enough from the horrors of war
At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the cannon and guns of war went silent. This ended the First World War. It had started four years earlier, when the presumptive heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated in Sarajevo by a Serbian member of the Black Hand society. The men behind the assassination wanted to gain independence for the South Slav provinces from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Vienna issued an ultimatum to Belgrade and Russia sided with the Kingdom of Serbia. In the end, the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy) faced off against the Triple Entente (Russia, France and Britain). The alliance was later joined by Japan and the entente by the US — bringing a hitherto unseen global dimension to war. Overall, 70 million soldiers were drafted from many corners of the globe.
The hostilities brought about monumental political change on the European continent. The German and Austro-Hungarian monarchies were replaced by republics. In Russia, the tsar was toppled by the communists. Germany had a hand in that development: They organized a secret train to transport one Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (known by posterity as Lenin) from his Swiss exile, through Germany and to the border of its eastern nemesis. The ensuing Russian Revolution did a lot to weaken the entente on the eastern front and hence to prolong the war. The First World War also brought about the end of the Ottoman Empire, which had sided with Austria-Hungary. That saw the birth of modern Turkey under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
The political upheavals that ensued destabilized Europe. The continent was exhausted from bloody warfare, hunger and disease. The influenza epidemic of 1918 was a direct consequence of the four years of warfare, which had left the population worn-out and malnourished.
To the west, the Weimar Republic was unstable and gave birth to the oppression and totalitarianism of Hitler’s Germany and with it the Second World War. To the east, in Russia, the Mensheviks were followed by the Bolsheviks. Ultimately, Joseph Stalin would create his own brand of totalitarianism and oppression in the Soviet Union.
This brings us to the question of what mankind has learned from the devastating consequences of the two world wars.
Cornelia Meyer
From the battlefields of the Somme, Galicia and Megiddo, to the high seas near Jutland and the trenches of Verdun, millions were killed and maimed. Between 15 and 19 million people were killed and about 23 million were wounded.
The human suffering was of epic proportions. About one-third of deaths claimed by the First World War were civilian. Sadly, this started a trend where more and more casualties in warfare tended to be civilians. With changing methods of warfare and new technologies, every subsequent armed conflict saw the percentage of civilian deaths increase. The civilian population does not have any choice whether or not to participate in armed conflict; they are merely “collateral damage.” This is incredibly harsh because they are caught in the wrong place at the wrong time with absolutely no ability to influence their fate. After the Second World War, 196 nations ratified the Geneva Convention, which regulates how to deal with both civilian and military prisoners of war. It also stipulates how to treat non-combatants and the civilian population caught in war zones. Sadly, more and more countries question the validity of the Geneva Convention, with the rise, as a result, of asymmetric warfare.
Wars have become more and more brutal for the civilian population. The two world wars should have taught the family of nations that nothing good can come from barbarism. Alas, nothing was learned. During the 1990s, war in the Balkans was a shocking episode in modern history. Horrendous genocide took place just one hour’s flight from civilized Vienna or two hours from Zurich or Paris. Europe and the world stood by and watched for a very long time.
There was also genocide alongside brutal military conflicts in Africa and many other far-flung corners of the world. The 2000s did not herald a peaceful era either. Millions died on the battlefields of Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. It was and is again the civilian population that suffered the most. Baghdad, Kabul and Basra bear the physical and emotional scars of armed conflict. They are not safe places for their citizens to go about their daily lives.
The most heart wrenching recent examples of modern conflict are Syria and Yemen. Let us focus on Syria. Over the past seven years, about half a million people have lost their lives and a further 11 million-plus are displaced inside or outside the country. Turkey alone houses 3.5 million Syrian refugees; a further 3 million-plus fled to Lebanon or Jordan, not to speak of the hundreds of thousands who went further afield to Western Europe. The war has inflicted untold human suffering on the civilian population. Most combatants had never heard of the Geneva Convention and, had they done so, they would probably not have cared, rendering the civilian population the real victims of war.
This brings us to the question of what mankind has learned from the devastating consequences of the two world wars. Military personnel and non-state combatants alike flagrantly violate the Geneva Convention. They have zero regard for civilian populations caught in the crossfire. Worse, they use them as human shields and tools of warfare. The question remains as to what it will take for state and non-state actors to settle their conflicts without inflicting suffering on civilians, because every child and every grown-up has the right to live his or her life in dignity, unencumbered by conflict. The powerful and their weapons do not have the right to settle their conflicts on the backs of the unarmed and the powerless.
24 Comments on "We have not learned enough from the horrors of war"
makati1 on Sun, 11th Nov 2018 6:36 pm
When war comes to America’s shores, then the reality of America’s past deeds will become obvious. Pain, suffering, death and destruction. If America keeps hitting the bear and the dragon, the war will come. Probably swiftly in the night and well earned. So be it.
Davy on Sun, 11th Nov 2018 6:44 pm
“When war comes to America’s shores, then the reality of America’s past deeds will become obvious. Pain, suffering, death and destruction.”
Billy the war pig who loves the idea of death and destruction will pay one day when he is dying alone in a 3rd world hamlet.
“If America keeps hitting the bear and the dragon, the war will come.”
LOL, Billy has to be cute.
“Probably swiftly in the night and well earned. So be it.”
There we go again war at 3:00am Billy. More of Billy’s massive military knowledge.
makati1 on Sun, 11th Nov 2018 6:55 pm
Be patient Davy…
Davy on Sun, 11th Nov 2018 7:26 pm
“Be patient Davy…”
I am billy and I am seeing you and your gangbangers melt away into irrelevance. You will be gone before long because without your support group you have no backbone.
Davy on Sun, 11th Nov 2018 7:33 pm
Translation: I’ve lost my mind.
Davy on Sun, 11th Nov 2018 7:40 pm
ASSWIPE JUANP IDENTITY THEFT
Davy on Sun, 11th Nov 2018 7:33 pm
makati1 on Sun, 11th Nov 2018 8:30 pm
“The outcome of the American midterm elections gives us an even more divided country, confirming that the United States is in the midst of a deep crisis within its establishment….Washington and its elites live trapped in a unipolar bubble, still convinced that the United States is the only world power left on the geopolitical chessboard….Washington’s neoliberal inner circle views international relations in a very unrealistic and ideologically spoiled manner….the rest of the world has for decades observed with disgust and dismay the imperialism of a warmongering country committed to consuming the resources of others,…
The permanent political civil war in the United States seems destined to intensify over the next two years, and the prospect of an even less independent administration in foreign policy will impel the rest of the world to rely less and less on Washington and begin to look elsewhere….A shining example of what Washington’s decline means can be clearly seen in Korea. Without the direct involvement of the United States, Seoul and Pyongyang seem to be heading towards peaceful reconciliation….
The continuing division within the American political class will only accelerate the loss of America’s pre-eminence in the existing the world order. The United States finds itself in the middle of an evident decline,…Trump’s economic warfare, using tariffs and sanctions, has only worsened the international financial economic arrangement, accelerating the complete de-dollarization of world economies….Washington and her elite seem too caught up in domestic dynamics to notice that their behaviour is only accelerating the transition to a multipolar world order”
https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2018/11/10/war-party-wins-midterm-elections-accelerating-transition-multipolar-world-order.html
Slip slidin’…
makati1 on Sun, 11th Nov 2018 8:36 pm
Davy, my “support group” consists of me, myself and I, no one else. I don’t need a “support group” to post and comment. I post reality, something few Americans even see from their viewpoint in the frog pot. You all live in a very tightly controlled police state and the gestapo is more and more asking for “your papers please”. LOL
Anonymouse on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 12:06 am
This entire ‘support’ and ‘gang’ thing, is just the exceptionalturds latest hobby horse. He seems to be of the delusion that he has vanquished everyone that has ever called him on his endless arrogance and ignorance here.
It is his ‘new’ way of declaring himself the ‘winner’, without actually putting it
in quite those terms. Which of course, he was soundly ridiculed for in the past. The underlying psychosis, that he is a ‘winner’ in a battle against some vaguely defined , yet non-existent ‘gang’, remains unchanged.
IoW, same old exceptionalturd, same old delusions. He just trying to polish his turds a little, at least to the limited extent he is capable of.
Chrome Mags on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 12:12 am
My opinion is Trump has a chip on his shoulder the size of the Rock of Gibraltar and his gigantic power hungry ego is itching for a major war. That’s why he’s baiting China in the South China Seas with it’s Navy and with two military arms sales to Taiwan.
History is full of incidences with a Top power going to war with an up and coming top power, and this situation with China fits the bill.
We’ll see what happens, but don’t be surprised if shove comes to blows.
Cloggie on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 12:12 am
In the end, the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy) faced off against the Triple Entente (Russia, France and Britain).
Excuse me? Italy never fought on the side of the central powers. And Japan did NOT join Germany c.s. in WW1.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_during_World_War_I
History brought to you by great Arab thinkers.
/rolleyes
To the west, the Weimar Republic was unstable and gave birth to the oppression and totalitarianism of Hitler’s Germany and with it the Second World War.
Oh please…
Oh wait… “Arab News” brought to you by a Cornelia Meyer.
Doesn’t sound too Arab to me…
Her bio:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelia_Meyer
Hmmm, rather a globalist career, “Swiss”, BBC, Tokyo, Economist, Financial Times, the whole shebang.
One is getting suspicious, let’s dig a little deeper…
https://www.solothurnerzeitung.ch/solothurn/weitere-regionen/langenthalerin-cornelia-meyer-kleine-frau-ganz-gross-125937200
Als Ausgleich zum wissenschaftlich geprägten Unterricht lernte sie Hebräisch.
No further questions your honor.
Davy on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 4:10 am
“Davy, my “support group” consists of me, myself and I, no one else.”
Sure, billy, you are here because you are a lonely old man with no friends or family. You comment most of the time when you have support to flank your extremist comments that constantly get neutered. That is over lately though other than the identity theft and socks that serve as a distraction kind of like flanking fire. LOL, where is dumbass gregt anyway? Do you miss him billy. You two had such touching moments in the past. You two loved to double time me. I guess this was because you lack the backbone to do it yourself.
Davy on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 4:15 am
“It is his ‘new’ way of declaring himself the ‘winner’, without actually putting it”
Listen to dumbass anonymouse whine. Where are all the rabid anti-American Canadian these days DorK? Gone is gregt, apeman, truth has a liaberal bias, and you almost. You are hardly here anymore Dork. You just have your daddy Mak that calls you anon and so lovingly with sparkle in his eyes. You have lost this dirty war of group censorship by disgusting people, anonymouse and it must be a bitter lose. LOL
Davy on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 4:22 am
“My opinion is Trump has a chip on his shoulder the size of the Rock of Gibraltar and his gigantic power hungry ego is itching for a major war.”
What about the deep state that wants to destroy Trump? Trump want to get along with Russia??? I think you are letting your emotions blind you from the real villains.
Davy on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 4:41 am
Sure is nice when the identity thief JuanP is gone. LOL. It must get very boring being a deviant. It probably was fun at first but then it must be a chore. I can’t figure out why he just does not debate issues and ideas like a real intelligent man would??? Maybe he does not like getting his nose rubbed in his own shit.
Davy on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 4:58 am
Where is Mueller when his chums are found to be dirty?
“Former CIA Officer: Brennan And Clapper Should Not Escape Prosecution”
https://tinyurl.com/yag8ldj4
“Recently declassified documents show that the former CIA director and former director of national intelligence approved illegal spying on Congress and then classified their crime. They need to face punishment…Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa made a dramatic announcement this month that almost nobody in America paid any attention to. Grassley released a statement saying that four years ago, he asked the Intelligence Community Inspector General to release two “Congressional Notifications” written by former CIA Director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. Grassley had had his requests to declassify the documents ignored repeatedly throughout the last two years of the Obama administration. He decided to try again because all of the Obama people at the CIA and DNI are gone now. This time, his request was approved.”
“Simply put, Brennan ordered his people to hack into the Senate email system—again. Grassley is the longtime chairman of Judiciary Committee, and he was understandably appalled.”
“But Brennan and Clapper classified the notification. It was like a taunt. “Sure, I’m spying on Congress, which is illegal. But it’s classified, so what are you going to do about it?”
“Brennan and Clapper think the law doesn’t apply to them. But it does. Without the rule of law, we have chaos in our country. The law has to apply equally to all Americans. Brennan and Clapper need to learn that lesson the hard way. They broke the law. They ought to be prosecuted for it.”
boney joe on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 5:09 am
“What about the deep state that wants to destroy Trump? Trump want to get along with Russia??? I think you are letting your emotions blind you from the real villains.”
What evidence/proof do you have to support your conspiracy theory that the “deep state” (whatever this bogey man is) wants to “destroy Trump”?
You are letting your emotions (love of Trump and all things Republican) blind you from the real villains.
The fact of the matter is the American people have spoken strongly by throwing Republicans out in state legislatures, governorships, and congress. Democrats won the popular vote by more than 6 millions and this number is growing by the day as vote counting continues (no surprise the Republicans want to stop the counting of ballots). 317 of the 345 districts went to the Dems. Dems won 57% of toss-up districts, 7% lean Repub., and 3% likely Repub. districts.
Despite Republicans having one of the most favorable senate maps in recent history, their at 51 seats, instead of what should have been 54 or 55 seats. In 2020, it will be Republicans in Blue states having to run for re-election.
More good news, the Republican in Georgia that held Newt Gingrich’s seat conceded defeat. Dems. are now likely to pick-up the senate seat in what was once deep red Arizona, and quite possibly Florida, as votes are counted in Broward county. And the Republican’s one token Black in congress in ruby red Utah has lost her race as well.
Davy on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 5:13 am
“What evidence/proof do you have to support your conspiracy theory that the “deep state” (whatever this bogey man is) wants to “destroy Trump”?”
JuanP, open your eyes or better yet quit playing sock games and just be JuanP.
“The fact of the matter is the American people have spoken strongly by throwing Republicans out in state legislatures, governorships, and congress. “
Where is the blue wave? We are not hearing much about it are we?
“Democrats won the popular vote by more than 6 millions and this number is growing by the day as vote counting continues”
References?
Davy on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 5:30 am
BoneyJuanP, unlike you I am a centrist and a moderate. I am happy with the election results. We have a congress divided which in this time of extremism is a good thing. Trump does not have a free hand anymore to push through rash policy. This is going to require bipartisanship to get anything done. This means extremism on both sides will be tempered.
Davy on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 5:51 am
Sorry everyone.
When I stop taking my meds I go full blown retard.
Davy on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 6:00 am
IDENTITY THEFT Davy on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 5:51 am
There you go greggiejuan. You were sleeping on the job last night. I left a lot to debate just in case you want your nose rubbed in shit.
sunweb on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 6:19 am
We are “THE WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION”
Our economy is underwritten by war, weapons and killing. We don’t want to know what is happening in our name, with our tax money, sustaining our lifestyle.
The question is not simply who benefits from the end result of the wars but from the total action of the wars. The bottom line is the bottom line. Our men and women have lined the coffers of big business and the very wealthy. And often the result of the conflict also lines the coffers of big business and the very wealthy while the common people live with wounds physical, psychological and spiritual.
Blinding ourselves, some of us gain employment, some gain access to materials and goodies from the low paying labor and natural resources purloined as a results of our bullying, aggressions and our arms sales. Dulled by inertia, seduced by promises of “trickle down”, conned by propaganda, we are numbed by the narcotic of things. Grabbing the coat tails and gladly distracted by the “red carpet glitter”, we aspire to emulate the merchants and bankers of war. And we keep silent.
http://sunweber.blogspot.com/2017/05/riding-bomb.html
Davy on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 6:20 am
“Why A Transition To Clean Energy Alone Is Not Enough For A Sustainable Future”
https://tinyurl.com/ycaquzn4
“In the transport sector, for example, electric cars have recently emerged as a promising solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Nonetheless, their production exhibit the possibility for significant increases in human toxicity, freshwater eco-toxicity, freshwater eutrophication, and metal depletion impacts, following a life cycle assessment of conventional and electric vehicles conducted by Hawkins and others at Yale University.”
“All the above mean that by simply shifting from one source of energy to another, we overlook the fact that new technologies would demand the same structures that put us where we are in the first place. This rigorous energy debate marginalizes other problems such as deforestation, industrial production, livestock farming, and landfills, which are major sources of carbon dioxide and methane. We even tend to overlook the effect of methane, despite the fact that it has a much higher Global Warming Potential (GWP). If we keep razing forests, expanding industrial agriculture and livestock, producing more goods, and filling more landfill sites, it is simply naive to think we can stop climate change with technological innovations.”
“The conventional dilemmas of modern technological society appear to be able to resurface, whatever the technology we innovate. Hence, technological optimism should not escape the need for fundamental social change. A wholesale change in patterns of consumption and a substantial reduction in resource intensity teamed with intentional shrinking of production are the least that will be needed to have a chance of achieving ecological sustainability and remaining within environmental limits in order to avoid an inevitable collapse of the resource base in the not-too-distant future. These imminent prospects are perfectly epitomized in Alf Hornborg’s words: “Money and technology together constitute a global game in which most players remain unaware of the extent to which the rules are both arbitrary and mutable, and in which the stakes are the relative distribution of workloads and environmental burdens.” This should constitute both a take away lesson and a wake up call before our time runs out.”
Chico on Mon, 12th Nov 2018 8:09 am
WE HAVE NO RULE OF LAW. ONLY THE PERCEPTION.