Why do we not learn from the past in terms of war?

Question

Looking into the past, the history of our world, why until now we don't learn that in war there is more to be lost than to gain.

Answer 1

I agree that War is hell.
However, I think it may be that we have learned to well from wars.

Most all social and economic changes are the result of war.
The great technological leaps have been made due to war.
Oppressive governments and despots have been removed from power due to war. (some have come to power due to war)
Wars are the very driving force for humanity.
The weak will always be oppressed by the strong unless they unite, and they will have to back up that unity by fighting if called to defend themselves against those who would force their will upon them.
I agree we are petty little creatures who have little redeeming qualities, but until all men are angels or all men are oppressed by a single omnipotent ruler there will continue to be wars.

I wish it wasn't so...

Yours:;Grumpy

Answer 2

Because unfortunately, power corrupts the heart and the mind. That leads powerful men and women to wage wars to gain ever more power or money or both. I fear only Christ Return will change this for good. But at least we have that to look forward too. In reply to the answer above. Hitler would never have come to power if WW1 had never been fought and Germany raped afterwords. The U.S. might very well have existed since every former British colony gained their nation hood. Many without a revolution. Also Iraq, the land given to Israel after WW2 and Kuwait where all British colonies at one time. Finally. Without the Civil War the divisions between the states would most likely have been resolved and the Union reformed. But to make it clear why war happened in each case. It was men with to much power and very small brains. Peace may come when one side or the other is defeated, but war only paves the way for more war later. If you don't believe me I can show you historical proof for days. I have written many papers on this and as a veteran and a military historian I have a good understanding of war and the politics and economics behind it. Sometimes war draws you in, but it never just happens or leads to long lasting peace. War is always born from a previous war or wars.

Answer 3

There is little to learn from war. War just is and always will be. War comes with the human experience and I do not think war can be weighed in terms of losing or gaining.

Answer 4

I read one time that where diplomacy ends war begins. Something like that so don't quote me. If you were on the side that was applying the force, you felt slighted in some way, and your ego was involved then you would not see that there is more to lose. Those who rule a country cannot be backed down, embarrased, or seem weakened by another for any reason or they will lose hold of their govt. The problem completely lies with too much pride.

Answer 5

Do you think there really is more to be lost? After all, the entire Jewish population of Europe would have been wiped out during WWII. America wouldn't even existed without the Revolution. The US would be two countries without the Civil War. Face it, the only way peace comes about is through war.

Answer 6

Where would be the fun in that? Come on can you honestly tell me that you have learn from the mistakes of others?
Hell we as individuals don’t learn from our own mistakes, you expect us as a civilization to learn from some dudes on the pages of history books!?!

Don’t get me wrong war is a horrible thing no one should ever be exposed to it or its atrocities, but lest be honest with our self’s its going to take few more millennia of us smacking our heads in to the wall before we realize that we need to take a step to the side.

What can I say human race is a slow learner, maybe tats why we are in the boonies of the galaxy and no other race will play with us!

Answer 7

If someone slapped you in the face would you do anything about it? Or would you just talk to the slapper and say some thing like "Hey that wasn't very nice. Ummm, you shouldn't do that. Unkay, that's not very nice, unkay."

At first you might not resort to violence but that just depends on how serious of a blow that you had been dealt. But after repeated attempts of trying to be rational you have no choice but to use extreme force. Some people are just to stupid to respond to anything else. You beat them down until they surrender to your superiority. Then you win. Then you have peace. Do you understand? The threat of war is a deterrent. The reason people don't run over me is because I don't let them. I'm not here to let people walk all over me. Are you?

Answer 8

correction, my friend... common people, the lower class hates war so much for they are the most affected ones, the victims of it... it's the elite who manages to go around the ugly face/act of war... they've got means to get away from it and travel to safe places, the poor ones lag behind and suffer.

if you notice thru wars, it's our leaders themselves who makes these acts. others because of pride, ego, greed, jealousy, anger, lust for power (whoa there, the seven deadly sins), etc.... see, the little people have no choice but to try their best to survive these wars, and mostly affected are the children. they are the ones who inherit the sins of our leaders...

true, it's shameful to admit that these same little people who elects/chooses their own leaders... but often than not, they are blinded by flowery words and fail to see beyond it. can we blame them that they help created the war? maybe... maybe not.

in the end, it's up to us (the peace-loving people) to try to convince those in power that in war, no one wins, everyone suffers, anyone dies and someone would come out as both victim or survivor....

Answer 9

"we don't learn that in war there is more to be lost than to gain."

Not always true. Like the T-shirt says...

https://www.protestwarrior.com/store/product.php?productid=1

Answer 10

Bad genes that we've been trying to shake for milleniums, but they just won't go away. They keep repeating from generation to generation in the form of greed, hate, annihilation — thus, KABOOM!!!!!!!!