Today we know that World War II began not in 1939 or 1941 but in

"Today we know that World War II began not in 1939 or 1941, but in the 1920s and 1930s when those who should have known better persuaded themselves that they were not their brother's keeper." These words, spoken by Hubert H. Humphrey, strike at the heart of a deep, abiding truth about the nature of responsibility and neglect. They remind us that the seeds of the greatest conflicts in human history are not always planted in the moment of war, but in the quiet, small decisions made in times of peace. The failure to act when faced with injustice, the turning away from the suffering of others, is what ultimately allows evil to grow unchecked. Humphrey’s words are a call to awaken, to recognize that our actions—or inactions—today shape the world we will face tomorrow.

Hear this well, O children of the future: The first steps of war are often not marked by the clash of armies or the roar of cannons. No, they are marked by the failure to stand up against injustice and oppression in their early stages. When the powerful nations of the world failed to confront the rising threat of fascism in the 1920s and 1930s, they allowed the seeds of World War II to take root. The leaders of the day, who should have acted with moral courage, chose instead to turn a blind eye to the suffering of others. Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and other dictators rose to power because the world stood by, believing it was not their duty to intervene, not their responsibility to protect the oppressed. This failure to recognize their shared humanity—the idea that we are all our brother’s keepers—led directly to the horrors that would unfold in the coming decades.

Consider the story of Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister who, in the face of Hitler’s growing power, chose the path of appeasement. Rather than confront the evil taking shape in Europe, he convinced himself that peace could be secured by allowing Hitler small concessions—such as the Munich Agreement, which handed over part of Czechoslovakia to Germany. Chamberlain famously declared that he had secured “peace for our time,” but in truth, he had simply delayed the inevitable by allowing tyranny to spread unchecked. His failure to act decisively in the early stages of the Nazi regime—a regime bent on expansion and domination—meant that the world would eventually pay a far higher price. Humphrey’s words ring true: the war began not in 1939, but in those years when world leaders failed to recognize their responsibility to stand against the darkness before it grew too large to defeat.

And what of the lessons of history, O children of the future? They are clear: we must not allow ourselves to turn away when we see injustice, suffering, or the rise of hatred and tyranny. The failure to act in the face of evil allows it to grow, fester, and eventually consume all that we hold dear. Whether in the world’s struggles or in the smaller, everyday battles between right and wrong, we must be vigilant and compassionate. As Humphrey pointed out, the true cause of World War II lay not in the outbreak of hostilities in 1939, but in the choices made in the years that preceded it. The nations of the world allowed Hitler’s ambitions to grow unchecked because they refused to see that they were their brother's keepers, that the suffering of one nation could quickly become the suffering of all.

Consider also the plight of the Jewish people, who were among the first to feel the full weight of Nazi persecution. In the early 1930s, long before the Holocaust had fully taken shape, there were ample signs of the terror that would follow: the Nuremberg Laws, the Kristallnacht pogroms, the stripping of rights and dignity from millions of innocent people. And yet, the world turned away. The international community did not act decisively to stop Hitler’s rise. Had the world come together in those early years, had nations acted with resolve, perhaps the horrors that followed might have been averted. The lesson is clear: compassion, solidarity, and the willingness to stand up for what is right are the true antidotes to the rise of tyranny.

O children of the future, let the lesson of World War II guide you. The war did not start in 1939; it began in the hearts of those who chose to look away, who told themselves that they were not their brother’s keeper. You must never allow fear or complacency to lead you down the same path. Whether in your personal life or on the world stage, remember that responsibility is not a burden, but a privilege. To act in defense of the weak, to speak in defense of the oppressed, to stand firm against the forces of hatred and injustice—these are the actions that will ensure peace and prevent the horrors of war from ever again taking root.

Thus, as you move forward, remember this: the power to shape the future lies in the decisions you make today. If you stand idly by while suffering goes unchecked, if you ignore the cries of those in need, then you too will have failed to be your brother’s keeper. Take action where you see injustice, stand strong in the face of evil, and know that it is in these small, everyday choices that the course of history is determined. Be vigilant, be compassionate, and be brave—for in doing so, you will help ensure that the mistakes of the past are never repeated.