Charting the Course

I initially expected Humanities Core to focus on how war affects those who are directly involved in it, such as soldiers and military commanders. I thought that we would spend a lot of time exploring how being in such a high-risk situation permanently warps soldiers’ mentalities, rendering them unable to function properly once they become reintegrated into society (See: War and Everlasting Anguish). However, Humanities Core diverged from my expectations in a positive way: it opened my eyes to how war helps shape a nation’s politics, economy, culture, and values.

Before taking this course, I had a limited opinion on war because I did not fully understand how much it impacts the world around me. Now, I have a more informed opinion on this sensitive topic. However, regardless of how many courses I take on War, I doubt that I will ever be able to fully comprehend the extent to which war disrupts the natural order of things. By “the natural order of things,” I do not mean a completely peaceful world. I believe that conflict is inevitable because humans are bound to disagree and clash at some point; however, I do believe that the amount of violence in the world can be minimized if we remember our humanity. As Michael Walzer asserts in Just and Unjust Wars, it is necessary to preserve the ethical aspect of decision-making when it comes to war. For instance, if the president declares war on another nation primarily for economic reasons, that would not be a fair decision. Although it may seem like a wise decision in order to stimulate the economy, war cannot be considered only an economic tool. World leaders must consider how their actions will impact their own citizens and the world at large. We cannot simply remove the human aspect of war when it ends up affecting so many lives.

figure 1: Polykleitos, Doryphoros (Spear Bearer)

Humanities Core also helped me trace the evolution of war throughout generations and realize how much war can mold a nation’s culture. For instance, The Iliad offered a glimpse into the Greeks’ overbearing shame culture. Their cultural values contributed to the establishment of a model civilization that always strived for perfection. For instance, the Greeks were known for establishing the canon of proportions for the ideal human body (figure 1). The Greeks’ shame culture also overemphasized the importance of war. Men felt obligated to strive for perfection by emulating mythological war heroes such as Achilles. This romanticized view of war often distorts the image of war from one of tragedy and devastation to one of glory and masculinity. This depiction of war influences much of mainstream media, which I began to notice more upon taking Humanities Core (See: A Brief Analysis of “History from Above” in the Media). I speculate that this contributes to citizens being so indifferent to war. If people were more aware of how war impacts others, such as by giving names to the faces of the survivors and victims (see: Piecing Together the Past), people would be much more opposed to it.

Piecing Together the Past

It’s one thing to learn history in the classroom—memorizing countless dates, names, and events that sometimes seem highly disconnected from the present; it’s another thing to hear testimony from people who have lived through those historical events. Unfortunately, I am not able to provide a direct account of a war survivor’s experience. However, I do have the next best thing: I compiled information from my family members of my grandparents’ experience during World War II.

My grandparents on my mom’s side lived in the Philippines during World War II, during which the Japanese occupied the country. When I learned about this event in History class, I was not able to grasp the magnitude of horror they endured. Although students like me will label certain historical figures evil without a second thought, we will never truly comprehend the significance of historical events because we have not experienced them ourselves.

During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, my grandparents rushed to gather their children and evacuate their homes. They heard frightening rumors that the Japanese were invading people’s homes in order to kill the men and rape the women. Acting swiftly, my grandparents gathered their children and set out to hide in the forest.

In their haste to evade the menacing Japanese soldiers, my grandparents forgot one of their sons at home. Shortly after, they realized that they had forgotten their baby boy and anxiously rushed back home; fortunately, the Japanese soldiers did not invade their home, so their son was safe. My grandparents considered this a blessing from God. In that moment in time, in the midst of such atrocious conditions, all they could focus on was the miracle of their son surviving as the Japanese were raiding houses. This particular experience immensely strengthened my grandparents’ faith. Their ability to focus on their blessings during such a wretched situation enabled them to develop a greater appreciation for life, value family above everything else, and never take anything for granted.

However, the fact that my grandparents found a silver lining during the war does not change the fact that they suffered terribly and were scarred from their experience during wartime. For instance, at one point, they stumbled into a village that was being massacred by Japanese soldiers. Being that close to danger, the only way they were able to survive was to hide amongst the dead bodies. Living in wartime pushes individuals to do whatever they can to survive.

When looking at war from an objective point of view, it may be tempting to say that it was “worth” going to war. Although wars are usually fought for a rational cause, they can never fully be justified because they are fundamentally evil acts. Although the results of the war may be good, war is still fighting evil with evil.