The Futility of War Part 3 - WWII

The Second World War (1st September 1939 to 2nd September 1945) was a global conflict between two coalitions: The Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all the world’s countries participated, with many nations mobilising all resources in a state of total war. Tanks and aircraft played major roles, enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the first and only nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II is the deadliest conflict in history, causing the deaths of 70 to 85 million people, more than half of whom were civilians. Millions died in genocides including the Holocaust, and by massacres, starvation and disease. After the Allied victory, Germany, Austria, Japan and Korea were occupied and German and Japanese leaders were tried for war crimes.

The causes of World War II included unresolved tensions in the aftermath of World War I and the rise of Fascism in Europe and militaristic ethno-fascism in Japan. Key events preceding the war included Japan’s invasion of Manchuria in 1931, the Spanish Civil War, the outbreak of the second Sino Japanese war in 1937, and Germany’s annexations of Austria and the Sudetenland.

WWII is generally considered to have begun on September 1st, 1939, when Nazi Germany, under Adolf Hitler invaded Poland, after which the United Kingdom and France declared war on Germany. Poland was divided between Germany and the Soviet Union under the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact. In 1940, the Soviet Union annexed the Baltic States and parts of Finland and Romania.

After the fall of France in June 1940, the war continued mainly between Germany and the British Empire, with fighting in the Balkans, the Mediterranean, and Middle East, the aerial Battle of Britain and the Blitz, and the naval Battle of the Atlantic. Through campaigns and treaties, Germany gained control of much of continental Europe and formed the Axis alliance with Italy, Japan and other countries. In June 1941 Germany invaded the Soviet Union opening the Eastern Front and initially making large territorial gains.

In July 1941, the Japanese sent troops to South-East Asia. This threatened British interests in the area and prompted the United States and Britain to establish an oil embargo against Japan. In retaliation, the Japanese launched a devastating attack on the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, drawing the United States into the war.

In the days that followed, the Japanese invaded European colonies across eastern Asia, including the British territories of Hong Kong, Malaya, Singapore and Burma. Singapore fell to the Japanese in February 1942. Japan conquered much of coastal China, until the battle of Midway eventually halted the Japanese advance.

In early 1943 Axis forces were defeated in North Africa and at Stalingrad in the Soviet Union. In June 1944 the Western Allies invaded France and continued Eastward and the Soviet Union recaptured much of the territory lost in previous years, which culminated in the fall of Berlin, which resulted in the death of Hitler and Germany signing an unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945.

The war continued in the east with Japan generally losing ground to the Allied forces.On 6th and 9th August 1945 the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Resulting in Japan announcing its unconditional surrender on August 15th, 1945.

Did anyone gain anything from this war?

No, absolutely not. Nobodygained anything at all. Massive resources were poured into the conflict by the Allied forces to ensure victory, which could have been used more productively elsewhere. Germany was destroyed because of the war and so was Japan. All the Axis powers lost territory.

Some 70 to 85 million died as a result of the conflict.

The conflict resulted in the perpetrators inflicting horrors on elements of the population they didn’t like. Germany will always be remembered for its ‘death camps’ such as Auschwitz and Ravensbrück. Japan for its inhuman treatment of prisoners, Changi prisoner of war camp and the Burma Railway for example.

So what about our current wars? Will Putin gain anything from his war in Ukraine? Anything that can possibly set off the staggering casualties and destruction in both Russia and Ukraine?

No, he’ll probably gain nothing at all.

And what about Netanyahu’s war in Gaza? Its ostensible mission is the elimination of Hamas, but Hamas has its headquarters in Qatar and its financial hub is in Istanbul. The IDF could level all of Gaza (and almost has), without touching either of these nodes.

While Israel of course has the absolute right to exist, their continuing destruction of Gaza and killing of Palestinians is costing it international support, especially among its key western allies. In the end, all this cost and all this tragic loss of life can’t possibly lead to the achievement of its goals or the betterment of its position in the world.