Home / Commentary / Remembering The Barbarity Of Warfare

Remembering The Barbarity Of Warfare

By Rupert Johnson 

During the 18th century known as the Period of Enlightenment, it was commonly thought that education would make human beings less irrational.

But from that time forward this noble idea has proven to be an illusion, for it would appear that the more knowledge has increased, the more irrational and barbaric are the actions of Homo sapiens.

There is no greater manifestation of this blatant act of irrationality and barbarity than the increasing magnitude of modern warfare. Innumerable wars have been fought throughout the centuries, but no century can match the twentieth century in terms of the totality of international conflicts.

There is no doubt that wars are generally contrived by a small cadre of overly ambitious zealots, imbued with imperialistic designs. There is also no doubt that these self-centred, irrational egomaniacs are motivated solely by their distorted visions of what the world should be like.

One only has to look at Adolf Hitler and his band of gangsters during World War 11 to see egomania with all its demoniac manifestations. There is no need to give a detailed account of the morbid egotism of Hitler and his circle of demons. The world is well aware of their diabolical plots and evil deeds.

War is an irrational act of barbarism, and its demonizing effects on those who are forced to defend themselves have been quite evident. Once the vortex of war is set in motion, even benign leaders and their supporters are drawn within its swirling current of barbarism. Thus, very often the defenders of liberty are drawn down to the barbarous level of the aggressors.

There is no better example of this type of degenerative behaviour, than the dreadful fire-bombing of civilian targets in the German city of Dresden, during the Second World War. This act of brutality was in retaliation to the saturation bombing of similar targets in Britain by the Germans.

It is estimated that over one hundred and thirty thousand German civilians perished in a single night of relentless RAF bombing.

The Second World War is replete with scores of similar retaliatory acts of barbarism directed primarily at civilians. It is estimated that of the fifty-five million people who lost their lives during World War 11, more than fifty per cent were civilians including millions of innocent little children.

Never before had the world experienced such a total disregard for human lives. But in all probability, this unprecedented act of barbarism could be surpassed if the nations and terrorists of the world continue along their present course of mindless irrationality.

If recent trends in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Africa are any indication, I am afraid that the world may be in for an unprecedented bloodbath of the greatest magnitude.

It is clear that in a war everyone suffers. At this time when we remember our brave soldiers who fought heroically, and gave up their lives in the wars of the 20th and 21st centuries, let us not forget the civilians, especially young innocent babies and children who died and are still dying, as a result of the barbaric machinations of self-centred, irrational national leaders and also terrorists of the world. 

Rupert Johnson can be reached at: r.b.johnson@sympatico.ca.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Scroll To Top