I have heard many justifications for war in my lifetime, usually ephemeral and lofty (it builds character, it unites us, and more recently, it's necessary to spread democracy and defeat terrorism), though sometimes more pragmatic (World War II pulled us out of the Depression, Vietnam was necessary to prevent the domino effect). The former claims are rhetorical and hollow; the latter are laughable; I suppose if World War II had never happened we would still be in an economic depression today? That massive property destruction, and government spending and planning, bring prosperity? And why did the dominoes stop falling?
One of the few practical benefits to come from war, I've noticed, is for some reason never stated: war increases your knowledge of geography!
Yes, for some reason, this benefit of war never appears in the list, but it's certainly true. Think about it. Prior to the Vietnam War, most Americans would probably have been hard-pressed to even identify the capitals of North and South Vietnam (Hanoi and Saigon, respectively), much less be able to pinpoint them on a map. As the war progressed, previously unknown cities and towns and river valleys became very well recognized in American households. Da Nang, Hue City, Khe Sanh, Quang Tri, Bien Hoa, the infamous Mekong River valley, Haiphong Harbor, and of course Saigon itself, were scenes of terrible battles and violence and bombing, the brutal end for so many hundreds of thousands of people, Vietnamese and American (the former in far greater numbers). As the war progressed Americans learned much more about the geography of this quiet backwater of a country than they otherwise ever would have. But the war went badly, Americans tired of it, and finally left. Today most of these names resonate only faintly for the older generations; I doubt my sixteen-year old daughter, who is very bright, would recognize any of the names except for Saigon. Those who do remember these names probably try their best to forget them.
Most of what I know about the geography of Iraq comes from my interest in ancient history, but as a result of the First Gulf War I came to know very well where the modern cities of Basra (in the south) and Kirkuk (in the north) are situated. Still, prior to 2003, I had never heard the name Fallujah. Had you? Did you know that the large Shi’a slum in Baghdad is called Sadr City? I did not even know there was such a slum. And I knew Saddam had an extensive prison system, but I didn't know the biggest one was called Abu Ghraib, twenty miles west of Baghdad.
Think of the other names you at least recognize now, and may even be able to place on a map: An Nasiriyah, Mosul, Karbala, Ramadi, Samarra, Tikrit, An Najaf, Haditha (for the latter, think "Mai Lai"). The entire fabled and troubled Anbar province.
Likewise, in Afghanistan, previously just a big country with a capital city named Kabul, many place names are now well known to Americans. And probably more of them can pronounce "Kabul" correctly, with the stress on the first syllable.
One day Americans will no more want to know about Haditha or Tora Bora than they do some provincial capital in the Vietnamese highlands, but that day is not here yet.
So there, I have now made my own personal contribution to the list of reasons to love war. The increasing lack of geographical knowledge among US students has been a sad joke for so many years now, but I think one can plainly see that by spreading the War On Terror to enough countries and continents, this awkward trend can be reversed. And of course, in the process, we will all become united and much stronger for it. And we need not fear an economic depression.
November 27, 2006
