In this blog post, we will examine from various angles how war reveals human desires and how it has contributed to the development of civilization and technology.
Among the major wars that inflicted devastating damage worldwide are World War I and World War II. World War I was a conflict that took place primarily in Europe from July 28, 1914, to November 11, 1918. It was a massive clash between the Allied Powers—including Britain, France, and Russia—and the Central Powers—including Germany and Austria-Hungary. With over 9 million soldiers killed, it is recorded as one of the deadliest wars in history.
World War II took place from September 1, 1939, to September 2, 1945, and is the war that caused the greatest loss of life and property damage in human history. It began with Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland. The war ended when the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. This war resulted in approximately 25 million military casualties and up to 25 million civilian casualties.
It could be said that human history is the history of war. Throughout world history, wars both large and small have occurred ceaselessly, and this continues to this day. Since most wars have brought about devastating consequences, many people tend to focus on the negative aspects of war. However, I argue that war has contributed significantly to human progress, and furthermore, that the competitive spirit manifested through war has driven human development. Of course, this argument is not intended to encourage war. Looking back at history, war has had a positive impact on the development of humanity and civilization, and understanding this can help us prepare for the future.
The dictionary definition of war is “an act or state in which two or more opposing nations or equivalent groups use military force and other means to compel the will of the opponent.” As this definition suggests, in addition to wars involving physical military force, there can be various forms of war with different objectives.
In the past, before national borders were firmly established, the primary purpose of war was the pursuit of national interests through territorial expansion. In the modern era, following the establishment of capitalism, wars have also occurred to secure resources or to establish hierarchical relationships between nations. Additionally, there have been instances where war was used to achieve psychological unity among a nation’s citizens. Up until the present day, while the tools and technologies employed have changed, the fundamental nature of war—a physical conflict involving the mobilization of military force—has remained the same. However, in the modern era, various forms of war have emerged alongside those involving physical force. For example, the Cold War—a confrontation between blocs of nations stemming from ideological differences between the United States and the Soviet Union—is also a form of war. Furthermore, as technological advancements have led to the storage of information in virtual spaces, wars over information in cyberspace, or cyber warfare, have also emerged.
I intend to define any confrontation between two groups with specific objectives and forms as war. Because modern technology has advanced to the point where waging physical war is too dangerous, war has been prohibited under international law since World War II. Since this prohibition refers to the use of physical violence, various forms of war are still likely to occur and, in fact, do occur. The actions of terrorist groups such as ISIS also constitute a confrontation between groups equivalent to states and therefore fall within the category of war.
It is undeniable that war has inflicted both major and minor harm on humanity. Nevertheless, I argue that war has had a positive impact on the development of human civilization. Looking back at history, there are numerous examples of war having a positive influence on modern civilization. It is no exaggeration to say that modern civilization and science and technology originated from war.
Modern warfare, exemplified by World War I and World War II, was intertwined with rapid advancements in science and technology. New war-related technologies developed during this period became central technologies of modern civilization after the wars ended. For example, as the importance of distinguishing friend from foe grew during the wars, radar technology advanced. Radar, originally a military technology, was adapted to utilize microwaves and is now widely used in modern life, such as in microwave ovens. Furthermore, the importance of logistics in wartime spurred the development of food processing and preservation technologies. This led to the growth of the processed food industry, with products like Spam being widely distributed and fast food such as hamburgers spreading across the globe. The importance of information transmission and processing also increased during the wars, and the information processing technologies developed during this time later led to the development of decentralized communication networks and the internet. Computer technology advanced to process information quickly, and information encryption and decryption technologies led to internet security and search technologies. In the modern era, where capitalism is established, technological development has directly led to the advancement of civilization; therefore, it is undeniable that the world wars contributed to the development of human civilization.
Wars of the past also contributed significantly to human progress. The Crusades in medieval Europe were a series of battles that occurred from the 11th to the 13th centuries. As Christian societies in Europe sought to recapture Jerusalem from the Islamic world, new items such as the compass and gunpowder were introduced from the Islamic world, leading to the development of European civilization. The introduction of gunpowder enabled the production of cannons and firearms, which became a catalyst for the collapse of the knight-centered feudal society. Going further back in history, there is the Battle of Issus led by Alexander the Great. Through this battle, Alexander conquered territories stretching from Persia to western India, and in the Gandhara region of India, Gandhara art—a fusion of Greek and Indian cultures—was born. In this way, the course and outcomes of wars have provided lessons for humanity and advanced civilization.
Of course, there are also cases where culture or technology regressed due to war. For example, the Inca civilization near Peru was destroyed and its social system collapsed due to a two-year war with Spain beginning in 1531. This can be seen as a regression of the Inca civilization caused by war. However, from the perspective of all humanity, this war can be viewed as a process in which the relatively slow-developing Inca civilization was eliminated and replaced by Western civilization. This is similar to how Homo sapiens drove out the Neanderthals. Ultimately, through war, the Inca civilization was replaced by a superior one, which amounts to progress on a global scale.
War can be seen as an extreme manifestation of human desires. Human greed for power and possession, driven by the desire to gain more, has led to competition between individuals and groups, and when conflicts between groups intensify, they result in the clash known as war. Humanity has advanced civilization through competition, and war can be considered part of that process.
War is not strictly necessary to satisfy human competition or desires. War is merely an extreme method to achieve these ends; it is not essential. However, war can maximize competition between groups and accelerate the development of civilization. This is because technological development, which proceeds slowly in peacetime, becomes more efficient during wartime due to the intensive allocation of large-scale resources. It is no coincidence that various technologies are developed during the course of war. Since technology is subsequently commercialized and used by the masses, leading to the advancement of civilization, technologies developed during war ultimately become a driving force for human progress.
War, as an extreme manifestation of human desires, has contributed significantly to the development of civilization. This applies not only to traditional warfare involving physical conflict but also to various modern forms of war. For example, trade wars for economic gain and information warfare in cyberspace are emerging as new forms that transcend the traditional concept of war.
In modern society, as the nature of war changes, various forms of conflict—such as asymmetric warfare, terrorism, and information warfare—are emerging. These conflicts go beyond simple military clashes and have complex effects on social, economic, and political dimensions. This promotes the efficient allocation of resources and technological advancement, and at times serves as a catalyst for reshaping the international order.
Ultimately, war is a phenomenon that inevitably arises as humanity pursues its own interests, and through this process, humanity forms new technologies, cultures, and social structures. While the negative aspects of war are prominent, humanity has always evolved through this process, and such developments have often taken place within the context of war. Therefore, viewing war solely in a negative light may be an incomplete perspective, and it is important to examine the lessons and progress gained through it.
In conclusion, war reflects humanity’s complex desires, and the various forms of conflict that arise from it serve as important factors that can contribute to the development of civilization. Based on these historical facts, humanity must move toward preventing future conflicts and promoting peaceful development.
