If truth is the first victim of war, then read on - I've got

In the annals of human history, where war has cast its long, destructive shadow, there is a bitter truth that rings clear: truth itself often becomes the first victim of conflict. Alan Gorrie, with a wry and biting observation, reflects this tragic reality when he says, "If truth is the first victim of war, then read on – I’ve got some great lies for you this month." These words, though tinged with irony, speak to a powerful and ancient truth: that in times of war, the very essence of reality becomes warped. As nations clash and blood is spilled, the line between truth and deception becomes blurred, and the consequences of this distortion ripple through time, leaving the world forever changed.

War, in its rawest form, is not merely a battle of soldiers and weapons—it is a battle of narratives, a contest for control over what is believed to be true. History has shown us time and again that the first casualty of war is often not the soldiers who fall on the battlefield, but the truth itself. Leaders, in their pursuit of power, turn to propaganda and deception to justify their actions, to rally their people, and to demonize their enemies. Ancient Rome, for instance, waged countless wars of conquest, but those wars were often justified with grand speeches that painted the enemy as evil and the Romans as bringers of civilization. The truth of imperialism and conquest was hidden beneath layers of rhetoric and lies, all designed to mask the true nature of their actions.

Consider the World War I propaganda, where both the Allied and Central Powers used the media to manipulate public perception. The British portrayed the Germans as barbaric, while the Germans depicted the British as imperial aggressors. Lies were not just tools for warfare; they were essential to keeping the homefront supportive of a conflict that seemed endless and horrific. The truth—the immense human suffering, the devastation of the trenches, the deaths of millions—was obscured by the lies told by both sides, not only to their enemies but to their own people. In times of war, the narrative becomes a weapon, and whoever controls the narrative controls the mind of the people.

In our own time, this pattern has not changed. Modern wars are often accompanied by a deluge of misinformation and half-truths. The Iraq War of 2003, for example, was justified by the claim that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). This was a lie, a manipulation of truth to rally the public, to create a sense of moral justification for a conflict that would cost thousands of lives and reshape the Middle East for generations. The truth of Iraq’s actual capabilities, its internal struggles, and the nature of its leadership were hidden beneath layers of false assurances and fabricated evidence, leading the world into a war that might have been avoided if the truth had been allowed to stand.

The lesson of Gorrie’s words is that in times of conflict, it is essential for us to be vigilant, to question what we are told, and to seek the truth with unwavering resolve. For in the wake of war, the fabric of reality is torn asunder, and those who control the flow of information have the power to shape the world. We must not fall prey to the lies that are often spun by those who wish to manipulate us, but instead must rise above the narratives of power and division, seeking the truth not just in the headlines but in the depths of our own hearts and minds.

In our personal lives, we too must be aware of the way that truth can be distorted, whether in our relationships, in our work, or in the larger struggles of society. Just as war distorts the truth of nations, so can the small battles we face in our daily lives lead us to manipulate or distort the truth to suit our desires. We must ask ourselves: Do we allow deception to guide our actions, or do we seek out the truth, even when it is difficult or uncomfortable? It is through our commitment to the truth—in our words, in our actions, and in our hearts—that we can begin to heal the wounds of a world so often torn apart by lies.

The true victory lies not in winning the war, not in defeating an enemy or gaining power, but in holding steadfast to the truth. Gorrie’s words remind us that in the midst of war, the greatest casualty is the one we must never allow to fall: the truth. Let us carry this lesson forward into our own lives. Let us be the ones who seek the truth, who speak it boldly, and who, in doing so, create a world where deception no longer rules, where reason and honesty guide our decisions, and where we never allow the darkness of war to eclipse the light of truth.