On the subject of war (and peace)
Don't worry, I'm not making a mockery of Leo Tolstoy. I just have a few words about wars.
I'm under the belief that one cannot truly understand the horror of war unless he lived in the losing side. History is written by victors, and victors rarely bother to depict the misery of losers.
I didn't live through a war, but my parents certainly did. My grandfather died of starvation after being driven away by the Japanese Imperial Army. At the time my father was only 7 years old, he chased the flies away from my grandfather's dying body, not knowing when he exhaled his last breath. My mother still remembers hiding in the wheat fields watching the Japanese military boots stomping by from 30 feet away. It happened only rarely, but each time it brings true terror to the life of a six-year old girl.
People of that generation can never forgive what the Japanese invaders brought upon them. The question of whether the war is justifiable is hardly relevant. When they see their loved ones slaughtered, brutalized or withered away under harsh conditions during the war, all they want is revenge. It's not a moral judgement or rational decision, it's primal instinct.
Now, we can call the Iraqi insurgents terrorists all we want, the fact remains that some, if not most, of them didn't kill the Americans because they believe Americans are wrong, they kill because they are angry. Violence begets violence, and it doesn't matter whether it's justifiable for not.
I don't believe American people understand that, not even the anti-war activists. Americans never lost, so people always frame their arguments, for or against the war, on the basis of right or wrong, instead of gauging the individual suffering it brought upon the people. The media rarely talks about the civilian casualties, it spends far more time counting the American body bags. Ultimately, it's the body count on the Iraqi side that is truly consequential to American security.
Because the families and friends of the dead can never forgive. It doesn't matter whether it's within their right to hate America, they WILL. Some of them may chose violence if given a chance. Some others will pass the hatred onward.
The victors, even the injured and maimed, can at least take comfort in the victory. The losers don't have the luxury. All they can hang on to is despair and a burning desire to revenge.
I'm not advocating moral relativism here, neither am I denying justifiability of wars in general. I'm trying to say that unless you understand what it's like to be on the losing side, you will never understand why war should always be the last resort.
I'm under the belief that one cannot truly understand the horror of war unless he lived in the losing side. History is written by victors, and victors rarely bother to depict the misery of losers.
I didn't live through a war, but my parents certainly did. My grandfather died of starvation after being driven away by the Japanese Imperial Army. At the time my father was only 7 years old, he chased the flies away from my grandfather's dying body, not knowing when he exhaled his last breath. My mother still remembers hiding in the wheat fields watching the Japanese military boots stomping by from 30 feet away. It happened only rarely, but each time it brings true terror to the life of a six-year old girl.
People of that generation can never forgive what the Japanese invaders brought upon them. The question of whether the war is justifiable is hardly relevant. When they see their loved ones slaughtered, brutalized or withered away under harsh conditions during the war, all they want is revenge. It's not a moral judgement or rational decision, it's primal instinct.
Now, we can call the Iraqi insurgents terrorists all we want, the fact remains that some, if not most, of them didn't kill the Americans because they believe Americans are wrong, they kill because they are angry. Violence begets violence, and it doesn't matter whether it's justifiable for not.
I don't believe American people understand that, not even the anti-war activists. Americans never lost, so people always frame their arguments, for or against the war, on the basis of right or wrong, instead of gauging the individual suffering it brought upon the people. The media rarely talks about the civilian casualties, it spends far more time counting the American body bags. Ultimately, it's the body count on the Iraqi side that is truly consequential to American security.
Because the families and friends of the dead can never forgive. It doesn't matter whether it's within their right to hate America, they WILL. Some of them may chose violence if given a chance. Some others will pass the hatred onward.
The victors, even the injured and maimed, can at least take comfort in the victory. The losers don't have the luxury. All they can hang on to is despair and a burning desire to revenge.
I'm not advocating moral relativism here, neither am I denying justifiability of wars in general. I'm trying to say that unless you understand what it's like to be on the losing side, you will never understand why war should always be the last resort.
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I have read much of the history of Japan invading China. I have watched many movies too. I have learned a lot about the cultural revolution too in China. It is sad that these events took place. We may have my father in law stay with us for a few months, so I've been instructed to remove my Japanese art pieces away for a while. Maybe my husband's father is different now than when my husband lived back home, but we certainly don't want to bring up bad memories.Posted 11-18-2008 at 08:57 PM by luvasiagal
