Sometime they'll give a war and nobody will come.
"Sometime they'll give a war and nobody will come." These words, spoken by the poet Carl Sandburg, resonate with a quiet, yet powerful truth: the greatest victories of humanity are not won on the battlefield, but in the refusal to fight at all. Sandburg's words are not just a commentary on the futility of war, but on the profound power of peace. His vision speaks of a world where the madness of conflict is rejected by all, where the warrior's drum beats in vain because the hearts of the people are no longer willing to heed its call.
Throughout the ages, war has been a constant presence in the lives of men. From the ancient battles of the Greeks and Romans, to the wars of Napoleon and the World Wars, humankind has been locked in a seemingly endless cycle of conflict. And yet, despite the bloodshed, the suffering, and the destruction, there has always been a yearning for something more. This yearning is captured in the words of Sandburg, who dared to imagine a time when humanity would transcend the ancient impulse for violence. In his mind, a future could exist where the drums of war would fall silent, and instead of marching off to die in battle, the people would stand united in peace.
Consider, for a moment, the profound lessons of history. Gandhi, the great leader of India's independence movement, embodied this idea. He led a nation not through the force of arms, but through non-violent resistance and a rejection of the violence that had enslaved his people. Gandhi's power lay not in the ability to fight back, but in the ability to say, "I will not engage in your war, for it is a war of oppression, not of justice." And when the people of India rejected war, when they stood together in peaceful defiance, the might of the British Empire, despite its military power, crumbled before them. Gandhi proved that the most powerful weapon in the world is not the sword, but the resolve to choose peace over war.
Think also of the story of the Christmas Truce during World War I. In the midst of one of the bloodiest conflicts in human history, where millions were slaughtered on the battlefields of Europe, something extraordinary happened: soldiers, who were once enemies, laid down their weapons. They stepped out of their trenches, and for a brief moment, they shared in the humanity they had forgotten in the fog of war. They exchanged gifts, songs, and even played football together. In that moment, the war was paused, and the vision of peace—even if only for a fleeting instant—was realized. It was as if the soldiers, in rejecting the violence of their leaders, had echoed Sandburg's dream: a world where, one day, war would be given and no one would come to fight.
This moment from history illustrates the truth that Sandburg speaks of: the power of collective will. When a people, united by their shared desire for peace, refuse to heed the call to war, the very nature of that war changes. It loses its momentum, its meaning, its power. In the end, war can only continue if people are willing to fight in it. If the people stand firm in their refusal to fight, if they say, "We will not come," then even the most powerful nations will be forced to face the futility of war.
The lesson here is profound, dear listener: peace is not merely the absence of war, but the active refusal to participate in violence. It is a courageous stand, a choice to resist the pressures of society, of governments, of history itself, which may demand that we fight, that we perpetuate the cycle of suffering and destruction. When faced with conflict, we must choose wisdom over anger, unity over division, and love over hatred. When we stand together, united in our refusal to engage in violence, we can change the world, just as Gandhi and the soldiers in the Christmas Truce did.
As we face the challenges of our time, we must hold Sandburg’s vision close to our hearts. The future of humanity lies not in more war, but in the willingness of every individual to stand for peace. When war is declared, we must not run to the battlefield with swords drawn, but instead stand firm in our commitment to a world where such things need not be. Refuse to fight, refuse to be drawn into the cycle of violence. For in that refusal, we may one day see the world Sandburg dreamed of—a world where wars are given and no one answers the call. And in that, everyone wins.
NTNhi Tran
Sandburg’s quote gives me a sense of optimism mixed with skepticism. The idea of no one participating in war seems like a utopian ideal, but is it achievable? If we continue to glorify conflict and violence, how can we ever reach this point? How do we challenge deeply ingrained systems of power that perpetuate war and create conditions where peace is the preferred choice? What would it take for a society to reject war entirely?
GPThai Gia Phat
I find Sandburg’s quote both hopeful and profound. If no one showed up for a war, it would imply a major change in global attitudes toward conflict. It’s a beautiful thought—if humanity could just stop seeing war as a solution. What needs to change in society for this to happen? Could the next generation of leaders be the ones to break the cycle of violence, or is this just an idealistic vision?
Yy
This quote speaks to the possibility of human progress and the end of conflict. The concept of a war with no participants suggests that one day, we might see the value in peace over violence. But how far are we from such a reality? How can we shift our global mindset away from glorifying war and towards promoting understanding and resolution? What steps need to be taken to ensure that this scenario could someday become reality?
NQNhu Quynh
Sandburg’s statement is powerful in its simplicity. The idea of a war happening and no one showing up is an intriguing concept—it’s as though society has finally evolved beyond violence. Is it possible that in the future, people will see the futility of war and refuse to participate? How can we begin to lay the groundwork now for a culture that rejects war and embraces diplomacy and cooperation instead?
HHHung Hung
Carl Sandburg’s quote feels like a hopeful vision for the future. If, one day, people refuse to engage in war, it would mark a monumental shift in human behavior. But is that realistic? What would it take for humanity to reach a point where the collective will to fight simply disappears? Can we envision a world where peace becomes so ingrained in society that war is no longer an option?