At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, in 1918, an armistice was signed which ended the "war to end all wars". Around (estimates vary) 20 million people died during World War One. A further 60 million would go on to die in World War Two.
Today is a day for remembrance, not celebration or glorification (or sales - only in America).
"War does not determine who is right - only who is left." Bertrand Russell
Showing posts with label war. Show all posts
Showing posts with label war. Show all posts
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
The End
Albert Einstein once said "The pioneers of a warless world are the youth who refuse military service."
During World War One, there were many incidences of troops of opposing sides who had no urge to fight eachother. Neither side wanted to kill or risk being killed and so they settled into a sort of truce. This often lasted until senior officers learned of the situation and forced the troops to conduct raids and larger assaults. The famous "Christmas Truce" was an extreme example, where the opposing sides played football (soccer) - again, until senior officers decided it was wrong.
Compare those events with the footage we see of modern war. The latest images and comments of US combatants suggest the enemy has been dehumanised. How does this happen?
Modern society must have a part to play. By design, so must military training.
I can't help thinking that we can do better that this. Our ability to wage war has rapidly evolved, and yet our ability to prevent war seems to have been left behind. What is democracy?
During World War One, there were many incidences of troops of opposing sides who had no urge to fight eachother. Neither side wanted to kill or risk being killed and so they settled into a sort of truce. This often lasted until senior officers learned of the situation and forced the troops to conduct raids and larger assaults. The famous "Christmas Truce" was an extreme example, where the opposing sides played football (soccer) - again, until senior officers decided it was wrong.
Compare those events with the footage we see of modern war. The latest images and comments of US combatants suggest the enemy has been dehumanised. How does this happen?
Modern society must have a part to play. By design, so must military training.
I can't help thinking that we can do better that this. Our ability to wage war has rapidly evolved, and yet our ability to prevent war seems to have been left behind. What is democracy?
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
War...
...is a calculated and condoned slaughter of human beings.
Those are the words of Harry Patch, a WW1 veteran who was buried today at the age of 111.
Here's a video of Harry from a couple of years ago:
If you read my blog I don't need to tell you what to think about war and peace, so I'm going to end with a composition which is often performed during Remembrance Sunday which I've always found quite poignant.
Those are the words of Harry Patch, a WW1 veteran who was buried today at the age of 111.
Here's a video of Harry from a couple of years ago:
If you read my blog I don't need to tell you what to think about war and peace, so I'm going to end with a composition which is often performed during Remembrance Sunday which I've always found quite poignant.
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