war :: essays research papers

The cries of joy were deafening as tribe self-possessed in the streets. People ran around hugging and kissing strangers. In a sense, the news was totally unexpected. Japan had just surrendered. VJ Day, as it is now called, produced smashing celebration. Everyone was relieved that we would not have to endure a bloody onset of Japan. We would not have to sacrifice 200,000 more men to end the war.During the war, millions of lives were put d experience on hold. Now that the war is over, people could start living their lives again. "The misfortune is behind us," they would say. "We have won the war." In reality, though, there are no winners in war only losers. Even the "winners" are actually losers. twain sides in any conflict suffer losses. The question is not who won the most, but who lost the least.The "winners" of WWII suffered staggering losses. Even the U.S., which did not have its take homeland ravaged by the war, suffered great losses. Besi des the $360 billion impairment tag ($3,578 billion in todays dollars), there were 292,131 Americans killed (not to reference point the 115,185 "non-battle deaths"). There were also 670,846 Americans wounded. This, of course, does not take into account the emotional monetary value of shattered lives and marriages.Yes, we "won" because we survived the war declared on us by Japan and Germany. Yes, we "won" because we saved the world from plummeting into a very Stygian and desperate era. Yes, we "won" because we saved over 100 million people from certain death and several hundred million people from oppressiveness and torture. If Japan and Germany had not been defeated, the losses to America (and the rest of the world) would have been further more substantial. So, in comparison, we did "win."Dont get me wrong Im not an anti-war protestor. I feel there is a clear need for a strong national defense. I feel it is great for our country to be able to defend herself. I also recollect that there is the unfortunate need for the U.S. to defend the oppressed and defenseless of the world. Although I dont like the U.S. being the guardian of the world, there is a moral obligation to protect the defenseless when there is wholesale racial extermination and torture taking place. Of course, history has shown us there is a proper way and a wrong way to intervene in irrelevant problems.The reason I bring this up is because we all have our own private "wars.