War
“The crimes of those who lead are not the fault of those who are led; governments are sometimes bandits, peoples never.”
— Victor Hugo, 1861
“Again war. Again sufferings, necessary to nobody, utterly uncalled for; again fraud, again the universal stupefaction and brutalization of men. […] But how can so-called enlightened men preach war, support it, participate in it, and, worst of all, without suffering the dangers of war themselves, incite others to it, sending their unfortunate, defrauded brothers to fight? […] Every one knows and cannot help knowing that, above all, wars, calling forth the lowest animal passions, deprave and brutalize men.”
— Leo Tolstoy, 1904
“As you can easily imagine we often ask ourselves here despairingly: ‘What, oh what is the use of the war? Why can’t people live peacefully together? Why all this destruction?’ The question is very understandable, but no one has found a satisfactory answer to it so far. Yes, why do they make still more gigantic planes, still heavier bombs and, at the same time, prefabricated houses for reconstruction? Why should millions be spent daily on the war and yet there’s not a penny available for medical services, artists, or for poor people? Why do some people have to starve, while there are surpluses rotting in other parts of the world? Oh, why are people so crazy?”
— Anne Frank, 1944