In the light of the documentary ‘Why we fight’ it is revealed that although the world learned a lot from the destruction and death following World War II, there still cannot be an end to the notion of war and attack, and the world is still in the shadow of possible war. This is indicated by the amount of military and armament in the world that is possessed by various countries, in particular, America. Ever since the Second World War ended, the production of arms and weaponry is on the rise. Moreover, in spite of the shift in the world’s policy regarding democracy and freedom of speech and sovereignty, countries still rely on arms and weapons for safety. Also, the more weapons a country possesses, the stronger it is considered and the less vulnerable it remains to attack from an enemy. America has and still is struggling with the notion of communism and its danger of spreading in the world. Communism mainly in China and Russia remains a threat to the country. In order to counter any kind of physical threat in the form of attack or war-like condition, the country keeps building up its armament and is adamant in strengthening its military to the highest of levels. (Put Locker).
Therefore, in a realistic world, war is a reality, and it is inevitable. Countries have fought and will fight for various reasons, and they will keep doing so because, without war, no country can achieve superiority over another. Moreover, this documentary establishes another important fact. Even if a country is rich in resources and capital, it is not the most powerful one unless its military is strong and empowered. This is the reason America spends so much on military and, in fact, the military is the main stronghold of the country.
It also means that although a democracy, America is imperialistic when it comes to its military. America has displayed the strength of its military by intervening in wars on terror in many areas of the world, and the examples of intervention in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Syria and many other countries shows that the military strength of the country and its ability to counter any kind of danger anywhere in the world. Although most Americans would go against this notion of fighting, there are reasons why America needs to fight. It is an important assertion of the country’s power as the superpower of the world and that it can protect itself from threats and danger. The real need to strengthen the military came after the incident of 9/11 which shook the country and made it move toward fighting against any possible enemy of the country, blatantly and openly. (Put Locker).
Yet, the documentary also provides a powerful message contained in it by President Eisenhower that the power of the military in America needs to go into the right hands; someone who understands the functioning of the military and would not lead the country into ruins. This points to the condition of America gaining the disfavor of certain countries because it uses its military and arms anywhere it feels like using them and many countries have faced adverse conditions in response. America has carried out drone attacks, for example, which have led to the deaths of many innocent people and the terrorists and extremist elements still remain. It means that military and arms’ strength was used in places where it was not deemed important, yet the country did not back away from using it to display its strength. Hence, fighting is just another way of displaying America’s strength and power to the world, which may have adverse consequences if that power is used for the wrong means.
Work Cited
Put Locker. Why we Fight. [Video]. N.d. Web. 8 Feb 2016.
