Summary: The Evil Effects of War

“War is an ill wind which blows no one any good”. We have often heard this saying times without number but only those who have been involved in wars will realise the full import of the saying. Those who have been involved in wars, and those who have experienced wars will never pray to be near any theatre of war let alone experience it again in their lifetime. The horrors of war, the agonies of war, and the harrowing experiences of war are better imagined than experienced.

Nature itself seems to suffer incalculable damage as a result of wars. Large expanses of fertile arable land are destroyed. Fields are left barrenBarren means incapable of producing offspring, seed, or fruit. Land or soil that is barren has no plants growing on it. It is also used to describe a woman or female... More and waste. The vegetation which constitutes a beautiful scenery in a place is completely destroyed. What one discovers in a war-ravaged area are waste and ruins with regard to the vegetation.

As a result of the land that has been rendered infertile, no meaningful activity can be carried out. Agriculture cannot be practised. Food, which is a necessity of life, can therefore not be produced. The consequence of this is that there will be hunger and starvation. Hunger is so acute that people eat whatever comes their way. They go to the extent of eating lizards, insects, weeds, leaves, etc, which are injurious or even deadly. No wonder food aid is usually rushed to places where there are wars so that the people will not die of hunger.

What about the destabilisation and disintegration of the family? During wars, the families of the soldiers, who have no choice but to take part, suffer the loss of their breadwinners. So children become orphans suddenly and wives become widows. In an effort to run for safety in the confusion that ensues during wars. children are separated from their parents, siblings are separated from one another. The mental torture and physical agony suffered by members of the family cannot be imagined.

During wars, cities, towns and villages are deserted. This is to avoid the constant raids and bombings carried out by opposing forces. These cities, towns and villages become desolate. They become ghosts of themselves.

What about the economy of the country? It goes without saying that the economy of the country becomes battered, shattered and destabilised. As no meaningful activity can be carried out in an atmosphere of war, many people are therefore thrown out of jobs. Those who remain on their jobs are in a constant state of fear and fright as they are not sure of what will happen next. Of course, no foreign investor will come to invest in a country engaged in a war. This adversely affects the economy and so people suffer untold hardships.

The destruction of the individual personality is another devasting evil brought about by wars. The individual constantly lives in a state of fear and anxiety. Innocent people are mortally wounded or they suffer permanent disability as a result of bombings and raids carried out by opposing forces – grenades and other deadly weapons of war planted in cities, towns and villages destroy not only valuable properties but also precious irreplaceable lives. Some people become deaf as a result of the shattering noise of bombs, grenades and other weapons of destruction that are used during wars. The individual is therefore affected psychologically, emotionally and physically.

This is precisely why a situation of war must be avoided at all costs. There is no price, however colossal, that is paid for peace that can be too much.