Whats wrong with peace?

The Christian Science Monitor says it better then I ever could

In the book “Human Smoke: The Beginnings of World War 2, and the End of Civilization” Nicholson Baker gives a pacifist critique on the behavior of our political and social leaders during World War 2. He forces us to examine the whole truth of the war, rather then just the myth of the “god war” that has been sold to the American people. This is not to say that World War 2 was not a necessary war (though Baker may disagree with me), rather that we should remember the whole truth of the war then just the idealized version that is fed to us.

During the run up to war, humans have the unfortunate habit of ignoring any information that does not mesh with their view of the situation. All parties are guilty of this, many pacifists feel that truly threatening characters can be met with open arms, while hawks tend to forget that war should be the option of last resort, used only after all others have been exhausted.

In “Human Smoke” we are given a pacifist’s telling of WW2, and it is a welcome change from the narrative that is so commonly heard. In the common narrative Churchill and Roosevelt are unblemished characters who are responsible for leading the allies to victory against the forces of fascism and tyranny. This view does not do justice to those who did their very best to prevent such a tragic war from occurring. In reality, both Churchill and Roosevelt are guilty of serious crimes against both their own people and many other peoples as well. Of course, even with their many faults, Churchill and Roosevelt remain vastly preferable to the nightmare that was represented by Hitler, Mussolini, and Tojo. Nicholson rightly refers to World War 2 as the “greatest catastrophe in human history”, however it can be both that and the “good war” that Americans like to remember so fondly.

It is important to remember the events of WW2 in shades of gray, rather then the black and white myth makes such a good story to tell. When we remember events as they actually occur it gives us a defense against reckless militarism. It gives us a defense against fear mongering, it reminds us that war is truly an awful act to inflict against anyone. However, most importantly of all, it reminds us that in extenuating circumstances, it sometimes is necessary to inflict such mass slaughter on our fellow human beings