War in Text and Literature

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how Bao Ninh's "The Sorrow of War" and Nazim Hikmet's "Human Landscapes from My Country" both speak succinctly and powerfully to the problem of war. They illustrate the common justifications of war, and juxtapose these with some of the real horrors and paradoxes of war. It shows how, in contrast, Kaldor's "New and Old Wars: Organized Violence in a Global Era" does not speak much to the human cost of war. Instead, she tries to outline the changing nature of war, and gives recommendations on how to best deal with the new war by establishing cosmopolitan law enforcement

From the Paper:

"It is in these words that Ninh reveals the horrifying paradox of war. Wars are justified by saying that they have resulted in the victory of the just. The death of fallen comrades is justified because their death has resulted in so many others being allowed to survive and prosper. Says Ninh, "Justice may have won, but cruelty, death, and inhuman violence have also won. Just look and think: It is the truth". This is the incredible paradox of war. We fight so that we may remain free, and that others may live in peace and justice. However, the very act of war changes us; it makes us more brutal, less human and kind, and forever shifts the perceptions and realities of those who have lived through it."

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