I think that there may be some wars in the past where you could draw a line, like WWII but even then it's muddy. One of my favourite books ever is Studs Terkel's "The Good War" (http://www.amazon.com/Good-War-Oral-History-World/dp/1565843436), which an oral history of WWII. Terkel called it that because it is often referred to as "the good war" but he was also using it in an ironic sense, as he makes it clear that no war is ever good. The fascist powers needed to be stopped, but there were horrific atrocities on all sides. Looking back on how WWII was taught when I was in elementary and secondary school, I am a bit appalled. There was quite a lot of emphasis on Axis atrocities and the holocaust(as well there should be)but next to nothing about the firebombings of Dresden and Toyko, very little about Japanese internment camps in the US, and an almost jingoist view of the dropping of the atomic bombs. There was also very little about the sacrifice of the Soviet Union. Things were different by the time I was in 11th grade but I think that was due to my teacher and the fact that it was a college credit course.
Sorry for that rambling! I do get what you mean about wars in the past appearing more clear cut but I also think that part of that is just since it's history, it's easier for us to dissect it and look upon it with clear eyes.
but the present day warfare makes them even more not-human (if this makes any sense). Oh, it makes absolute sense. The mechanization of warfare does dehumanize, well, everyone. It makes it much easier to kill people and the further we get away from hand-to-hand combat the more dehumanizing and disconnected it gets. I mean, even with the atomic bombings the pilots and bombers had to fly over and release the bombs. But look at things like the drone attacks in Pakistan. There remotely controlled, it's almost as if someone is playing a video game. Yet, they're killing people. It's very disturbing and surreal to think about.
I, too, find it very hard to think about current wars. Mainly because I just get very angry and frustrated over the amount of pain they cause.
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Date: 2010-05-30 03:36 am (UTC)Sorry for that rambling! I do get what you mean about wars in the past appearing more clear cut but I also think that part of that is just since it's history, it's easier for us to dissect it and look upon it with clear eyes.
but the present day warfare makes them even more not-human (if this makes any sense).
Oh, it makes absolute sense. The mechanization of warfare does dehumanize, well, everyone. It makes it much easier to kill people and the further we get away from hand-to-hand combat the more dehumanizing and disconnected it gets. I mean, even with the atomic bombings the pilots and bombers had to fly over and release the bombs. But look at things like the drone attacks in Pakistan. There remotely controlled, it's almost as if someone is playing a video game. Yet, they're killing people. It's very disturbing and surreal to think about.
I, too, find it very hard to think about current wars. Mainly because I just get very angry and frustrated over the amount of pain they cause.