Violence is never the answer. It is a much heard phrase, however, these wise words are almost never followed. Violence seems like a fragile beast that no one has full control over. People, groups, and states all display acts of violence and the reasons why can vary. Some rely on violence when they feel as if they have no other option, and there are people whose basic instinct is to commit a violent act. The basic reasons violence exists is, because it is a potential option. It can be used as a…
traditional Japanese war mentality. Deeply rooted in samurai culture, Japanese militarism served as a foundation for Japanese society throughout the Tokugawa era; the class system gave way to a ‘warrior-elite’ class that dominated the social hierarchy. This pervasive warrior-dominated culture persisted into the Meiji period. Japanese militarism escalated further during the 1930s, leading to what many consider to be the height of the Japanese military state: The Second World War. It was not until…
“Vom Kriege” (On War) was published posthumously in 1832 from the writings of Carl Von Clausewitz by his wife. The book was compiled from his writings following his experiences and lessons learned during the Napoleonic Wars. [1] From the opening lines, Clausewitz cleverly sets the tone and prepares the reader for what they are about to read by stating “We shall not enter into any of the abstruse definitions of war used by publicists. We shall keep to the element of the thing itself, to a duel.”…
may ask themselves these questions concerning life or death during war. There are many emotions involved when discussing any war. There are many states who have benefited from wars, and some who have suffered from wars. There are people who have lost their lives on the battlefield and honored as heroes. Some people see this as a senseless death versus being victorious or a hero. There are different views among people concerning wars, one in which we feel devoted to both sides, the victorious…
Mother Courage and Her Children: What Will the War Make You Do? Inside of all of us there are good and bad qualities. We may be aware of these, or for some these qualities only appear in times of desperation. We all have times of greed, and times of sacrifice. It is our actions that shape who we are, and what others think of us. In a time like war, these qualities can be elevated and exaggerated in different ways. It is how we use these qualities that affect our lives and whether or not we…
Critics and pundits considered the Iraq War a success. However, in the beginning of the war from 2003 to 2006, military leaders were criticized for not achieving any gains against enemies in Iraq. Iraq proved to be just as challenging as Vietnam, where our enemies resorted to irregular warfare. Irregular warfare is defined as a violent struggle among state and non-state actors for legitimacy and influence over a specific population. Irregular threats include actors who employ methods such as…
move faster towards the ultimate goal of education for any and all. The statistics also showed the impact of war and its cancerous effect on children’s schooling. The Syrian civil war makes evident the overwhelming penalties that war can have on children’s education. By the early twenty first century the now war torn nation had finally attained universal primary enrolment. As the civil wars sphere of influence spread, the number of children and juveniles that were not…
despite various efforts to contain wars and conflicts. Despite the involvement of the United Nations in numerous peacekeeping missions, the anarchic nature of international system becomes evident as the international law cannot be applied uniformly in all armed conflicts. Each conflict tends to have a number of unique factors that make it difficult to achieve permanent peace. The international organizations such as the UN lack the means to control the outcomes of a war (Jett 76). Furthermore,…
considered new. The notion of a “rise of asymmetric warfare” may be loaded with assumptions related to Western imperialism and industrialization, whereby the “rise” refers to a pattern of increasing conflicts that were “irregular” because they were wars that could not be won by Western military…
embodies his extreme disposition against war. Voltaire has always been a large proponent in the anti-war movements in eighteenth century England. His disposition against war is clearly displayed in his novel “Candide.” Voltaire utilizes the techniques of comparison, satire, imagery, and dichotomy to display the many idiosyncrasies and follies of war and through his attempts of displaying war he often also criticizes the human nature and nobility. Voltaire Satirizes war many times and many ways…