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The senselessness of war

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Is war inevitable?

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“The nicest veterans in Schenectady, I thought, the kindest and funniest ones, the ones who hated war the most, were the ones who’d really fought”( Vonnegut, 1969, p.28).

"How nice... to feel nothing, and still get full credit for being alive" (Vonnegut, 1969, p. 194).

"So it goes" (Vonnegut, 1969, p.12-380).

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“I am young, I am twenty years old; yet I know nothing of life but despair, death, fear, and fatuous superficiality cast over an abyss of sorrow. I see how peoples are set against one another, and in silence, unknowingly, foolishly, obediently, innocently slay one another” (Remarque, 1928, p. 263).

“We're no longer young men. We've lost any desire to conquer the world. We are refugees. We are fleeing from ourselves. From our lives. We were eighteen years old, and we had just begun to love the world and to love being in it; but we had to shoot at it. The first shell to land went straight for our hearts. We've been cut off from real action, from getting on, from progress. We don't believe in those things any more; we believe in the war” (Remarque, 1928, p.83).

"The war has ruined us for everything" (Remarque, 1928, p. 87).

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Edwin Starr - War (Original Video - 1969)

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Original video of Edwin Starr singing his famous song: "War" [Original Music video from 1969] Originally written under the Motown label, and first performed by The Temptations, "War" was later re-released as a single with Edwin Starr as vocals. This version is considered a more emotional version and has become the most popular protest song ever.

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President Franklin D. Roosevelt “Day of Infamy” speech (December 8, 1941)

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President Franklin D. Roosevelt “Day of Infamy” speech (December 8, 1941)

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FDR DECLARES WAR (12/8/41) - Franklin Delano Roosevelt , WWII , Infamy Speech , 24400

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The Presidential Address to Congress on December 8, 1941. Known as the Infamy Speech, it was delivered at 12:30 p.m. that day to a Joint Session of Congress by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, one day after the Empire of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii.

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The New York Times: U.S. DECLARES WAR, PACIFIC BATTLE WIDENS

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The New York Times: U.S. DECLARES WAR, PACIFIC BATTLE WIDENS

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https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/1208.html#article

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1970 Motown Time Capsule video featuring the song War by Edwin Starr

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Charles Lindbergh’s Anti-War WWII Speech (September 11,1941) 

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Charles Lindbergh’s Anti-War WWII Speech (September 11,1941) 

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Charles Lindbergh's - September 11, 1941 Des Moines Speech

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Charles Lindbergh's speech to the America First Committee on September 11, 1941 (same day as the ground-breaking ceremony for the Pentagon). Hidden history repeats!

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Cctaximna. (2007, Jun 18). War- Edwin star. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d8C4AIFgUg#action=share

Coqui1pr. (2016, Nov 17). Saving private ryan d-day scene. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-bogN0V8RM#action=share

CyberDurden. (2007, Mar 21). Charles lindbergh’s- September 11, 1941 des moines speech. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_F48oaOskI#action=share

Kluckhohn, F.L. (1941, Dec 9). U.S. declares war, pacific battle widens; manila area bombed; 1,500 dead in hawaii; hostile planes sighted at san francisco. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/1208.html#article

Murphy, B. (2007, Dec 6). Edwin star- war (original video- 1969). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01-2pNCZiNk#action=share

Periscope Film. (2012, Dec 12). FDR declares war (12/8/41)- franklin Delano roosevelt, WWII, infamy speech, 2400. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhtuMrMVJDk#action=share

Press Association Images.
Photograph of US Marines raising the American flag on the island of Iwo Jima in 1945. Licensed by the National Archive. Retrieved from http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/worldwar2/theatres-of-war/pacific/investigation/iwo-jima/task-source/

Remarque, E.M. (1975). All quiet on the western front. New York:Fawcett Crest.

Vonnegut, K. (2005). Slaughterhouse-five. New York: Dial Press.

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The two videos illustrate the theme of the senseless of war through Edwin Starr's beginning line, "War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing." His opening line and theme of the song as it progresses relates to the idea that war solves no problems and only adds destruction; therefore showing war as a senseless act.

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The speeches presented by Franklin D. Roosevelt alludes to the essential question, is war editable? Although the U.S. tried to remain neutral through the beginning of WWII, the events that later occurred in the bombing of Pearl Harbor, inevitably acted as the turning point to spark the U.S's involvement. This highlights that war happens without the ability to be avoided although it is not always the correct option.

Charles Lindbergh's speech further interprets the senselessness of war as he voices his opinion in the negative manner to the U.S. joining the war. In his emotional opening statement he says, "We cannot allow the natural passions and prejudices of other people to lead our country into destruction." That opening line signifies that war is senseless as it pulls others into a fight that simply for others' motives.

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Much like FRD's "Day of Infamy Speech," the New York Times article further illustrates the essential question, is war inevitable? Through detailed events, count of death tolls, and appeal to the emotion of fear, this article shows that war happens through a response to others' actions and fear that is within others/

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This specific scene from motion picture Saving Private Ryan, gives a concrete image of the destruction that war causes. Just in the few moments highlighted within this scene blood, death, and destruction of life and land adhere to the thematic topic that war is a senseless act when it takes human lives to an overwhelming extent.

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This images of the U.S soldiers planting the flag in Iwo Jima in 1945, provides illustration to the theme of senselessness in war. As the soldiers plant their flag in a prideful manner, it is rested upon the lifeless bodies of many. This proves that due to the loss of life of so many people, war is not a sensible act.

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Slaughterhouse-Five is a historical novel that focuses on the accounts and aftermath of a solider by the name of Billy Pilgrim. Through Billy’s encounters, he reveals that he has become unstuck in time, which gives him the ability to time hop from specific moments in his life. The setting of this novel varies through its telling based on the moment in which Billy is living. Mostly, the text is centered around his civilian life in New York, where is a father, husband, and optometrist and the accounts as a soldier and POW prisoner in Dresden, Germany. Billy’s accounts jump back and forth between moments as his environment or surroundings trigger the varying place he is.

Billy recalls information of experiences that allows readers to question his sanity and reliability for events. One of the overarching characteristics that Billy produces is his commonality of death through the use of the phrase, “So it goes.” This phrase illustrates the point that Billy sees death as a part of life and is no longer affected by its presence. This leads to the overarching theme that war is a senseless act.

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All Quiet on the Western Front is a novel from the perspective of a young, German solider who entered the war based on the nationalism speeches presented and the desire to fulfill the so-called "duty to a country."
As the novel progresses, we are taken through the psyche brought on by physical and mental stress of war, along with detachment from civilian life.
The main character Paul, becomes a less enthusiastic solider as events unfold and death is forced around him. He vowels it his duty to fight against the meaningless hatred of war that pins men against one another because of different beliefs and uniforms.