Why Nations Go to War – A book Review

The book of Stoessinger Why Nations Go to War opened very many historical facts that were in shadow until today.

Starting from the introduction part I have already noticed the author’s unusual approach to the matter. Looking for a deeper understanding of insight he realized that it can be a pattern leading to its healing. Also a very deep thought making him to develop an idea that usually during the discussions about war the fundamental feature of human essence of the problem was always being anticipated. The questions that he’s asking in the beginning are very useful as during the reading we already have a problem that we’re going to find a salvation mixed with codified information which will be clear at the end.

I think that if I answer to several aroused questions my mission to disguise this book will be more efficient and organized.

The first question is at which particular factors or components can be viewed as a cause of starting a war. The first and the most apparent reason for this will be the ambitions of the leader mostly being executed from the self concentrated position. Those ambitions or actions at all can be derived from different consequences. I will share the opinion of the author that in general it’s the fear that dominates during such important decision making processes as going to war. That preoccupied state of mind rather than conscious makes them to take desperate steps trying to do everything which will help them to escape it.

As a vivid example we can take the Kaiser’s decision to support Austria –Hungry which proved his misunderstanding between such fazes as political verdict and personal moral values. His idealistic conclusions weren’t precise on behalf what he named it Nibelungentreue.

In general my point is that all the war roots were deep in the statesman’s misleading observations about the real potential of the opponent and whether the second state-actor should be considered as an opponent or not.

Another although not less significant factors of the cause of war are religious conflicts. Among them the most brutal as well as continual in the twentieth century is Hindu against Moslem. As to me this type of war- provocation is just an “excuse” to privilege.

Other war-stimulators are considered to be territorial claims, economic imbalance, and nationalist aspirations, nuclear or simply weapon competition etc.