Anyone who thinks must think of the next war as they would of
Listen, O children, to the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, a woman whose voice rose above the tumult of world events, speaking truth with the weight of wisdom and experience. She said: "Anyone who thinks must think of the next war as they would of suicide." These words, though stark and unsettling, carry with them a profound warning. To speak of war in such terms is to remind us of the devastation it brings, not only to the body but to the very soul of a people. War, she suggests, is not a matter of glory or victory, but of self-destruction, a choice that brings about the ruination of all involved. Just as suicide is an act that ends a life, so too is war an act that ends nations, dreams, and humanity itself.
To truly understand this, O children, let us reflect on the nature of war. It is a calamity that arises from the clash of ambitions, fears, and misunderstandings between people and nations. When war is waged, it is not just the enemy who suffers, but all who are involved—those who fight, those who are caught in its wake, and those who are left behind. War is not a contest of strength, but a destruction of life. It is a great wound that tears through the fabric of society, leaving scars that last for generations. It is, in its essence, an act of suicide, where the self-destruction of nations mirrors the self-destruction of an individual.
Consider, O children, the world wars that scarred the twentieth century. In World War I, the Great War, millions of young men marched off to fight with a sense of duty and honor, believing in the righteousness of their cause. They fought for glory, for the defense of their nations, for the ideals that seemed so clear in the eyes of those who sent them. Yet, when the war ended, what had been accomplished? The world was in ruins, and millions of lives were lost in a conflict that many later realized had been based on fragile lies and empty promises. Roosevelt’s words reflect this painful truth—war is a path that leads not to honor, but to destruction, not to victory, but to the collapse of all that is good and meaningful.
Even more so, consider the devastation of World War II, a war that followed so quickly after the first, showing the tragic consequences of unresolved hatred, fear, and vengeance. In the aftermath of Hitler's rise to power, nations found themselves plunged into conflict once again. The war was fought, not just with tanks and guns, but with the deep scars of history, of race, of power and domination. But what did it leave behind? Millions dead, cities reduced to rubble, and the horrific legacy of the Holocaust, where entire communities were annihilated. Roosevelt’s comparison of war to suicide speaks to this very reality—the death of the spirit, the destruction of entire cultures
PTNguyen Thi Phuong Tran
Roosevelt’s view that war is akin to suicide is deeply unsettling but also true in many ways. War leads to loss, suffering, and irreversible damage to people and societies. However, if we accept war as a form of collective suicide, does that mean we should never fight back, even in self-defense? Or is there a way to balance self-preservation with the tragic reality that war brings, even when survival is at stake?
MHMinh Hang
Roosevelt’s statement that war is like suicide makes me reflect on how little we’ve learned from history. If the cost of war is truly so devastating, why do nations continue to fight? Could it be that leaders and citizens alike fail to understand the full implications of war? Or do we sometimes think of war as a necessary means to an end, even if it means sacrificing our own future?
TMTrang Monie
This quote from Roosevelt makes me think about the long-term effects of war. If we truly viewed war as suicide, would we still engage in it? Or is it that people often fail to see the self-destructive nature of conflict until it’s too late? The quote suggests that, like suicide, the consequences of war are irreversible. How can we shift our mindset so that war becomes an absolute last resort?
CHca heo
Roosevelt’s words offer a powerful perspective on war, as she compares it to suicide. It makes me question why, despite the known consequences, nations still go to war. Is it because we fail to fully grasp the consequences of conflict, or is it more about political or economic pressures? Can we ever reach a place where war is seen as a last resort, or do we always risk the same tragic cycles?
Ppet_390
Roosevelt’s quote resonates deeply, especially when considering the human cost of war. If war is viewed as suicide, then why do we continue to engage in conflicts that bring such immense suffering? Can we ever truly justify war, or is the idea of it inherently flawed? How do we reconcile the need for defense and survival with the idea that war is a form of collective self-destruction?