War is Never Just

By Sunny

War is transpiring constantly, and it is a crisis still plaguing the modern world. It may

erupt because of unjustified motivations, namely greed and intolerance; or justified reasons,

namely self-defense. The incentive of warfare may be equitable, however, battles themselves are

unjustifiable. As Ernest Hemingway says, “Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor

how justified, is not a crime.” Warfare can never be justified because of the sacrificial deaths of

young people full of potentials, the trauma left behind, and the conceivable economic instability.

First, the deaths of young men and women cannot be reversed or justified. Each of them

had the capability to be the next Albert Einstein or the future Mary Shelley. However, their

opportunities are forsaken and left hopeless when they perish. No one can possibly repent the

dead for their losses. In addition, the grief of losing beloved ones consumes and escalates like a

creeping fire. Families and friends are trapped in the bottomless hole of despair when deprived of

their buddies, children, siblings, or partners. No apology, rationale, or reward can justify their

losses.

Next, the trauma of warfare shadows on soldiers and civilians. Even those soldiers that

had the felicity and expertise to survive are plagued by conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress

Disorder (PTSD) and some lose their sanity. Civilians, after witnessing grotesque shooting and

bombing, are left terribly spooked. Ernest Hemingway was an ambulance driver in WWI. After

the war, he suffered from physical and mental horrors of the warfare. No justification is

sufficient to rationalize people for their agony and their devastated lives.

Last but not least, countries’ economies may experience instability or even bankruptcy.

For example, after WWI, Germany was demanded to pay 132 billion gold marks, or more than
$500 billion today. In 2010, Germany finally paid off the debt after ninety-two years! With the

country impoverished, the citizens will also suffer and undergo harsh times. Even though the

country triggered an warfare, the people are innocent, yet they endured economic strains and

harsh living conditions. No justification can satisfy them or repay them for their hardships.

In conclusion, war can never be justified because of the sacrificial deaths, the shadowing

trauma after war, and the conceivable economic instability. Warfare is a symbol of violence and

abuse, it should be controlled and limited.