The Myth of War

Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th Edition offers a definition of the word "myth" that reads, "an unfounded or false notion" (770). In his book, War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, author Chris Hedges, a veteran foreign correspondent, posits, "In mythic war we imbue events with meanings they do not have" (21). And, in his short story "How to Tell a True War Story," author Tim O'Brien notes, "A true war story, if truly told, makes the stomach believe" (78). If a myth is something that obscures the truth, especially in regards to an activity as serious and consequential as war, then it is, indeed, critically important that we attack the myth of war, thereby weakening its hold upon our collective imaginations.

What then is the myth of war? It can take many forms. It might take the form of rousing political speech that seeks to persuade a citizenry to support a war by assuring them of the nobility or justness of the cause. The cause might be related - explicitly or tangentially - to avenging an attack, such as the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon (as well as the failed attack, presumably with the Capitol as a target.) Language derived from the "Principles of the Just War" is often evoked to bolster a myth, such as the idea that a war should be seen as and thought of as a "war of last resort." However, merely labeling a particular war a "war of last resort," as the Bush administration did in the case of the Iraq war, does not necessarily make it so. The country was told repeatedly that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction and this was cited as a reason, or justification, for waging war; and yet, no weapons of mass destruction were found.

Chris Hedges writes of "mythic reality" and "sensory reality," terms he borrows from Lawrence LeShan's The Psychology of War (Hedges 21). Hedges explains that with "sensory reality we see events for what they are," and notes "most of those who are thrust into combat soon find it impossible to maintain the mythic perception of war" (21). For what reason might it be in a government's interest to promulgate a myth of war? Without the myth it becomes significantly more difficult to enlist the support of the citizenry. Imagine if a President of the United States addressed the country saying, "We are going to preemptively attack a sovereign nation that has not attacked us, that had nothing whatever to do with the Al Qaeda attacks of 9/11, and that may or may not have weapons of mass destruction. During the course of the war, we can expect to suffer many casualties, and we will, despite our best intentions, inflict some number of civilian casualties during the course of the war. We do this in the cause of bringing Democracy to Iraq so that we may have a greater say in the affairs of the entire Middle East, a region that is critical to our country's future national security." In response to such a speech, it is difficult to imagine any Congress authorizing a President of the Unites States to use "whatever means necessary" to pursue his military goals.

At the National Vietnam Veterans Arts Museum (www.nvaam.org) there is a painting by veteran Cleveland Wright entitled We Regret to Inform You. This simple yet arresting painting shatters the myth of war by telling a simple and stark story: War is about loss and death and the grief that fills survivors and loved ones in war's wake. No nobility here. No uplifting national slogans to mask the tragedy and loss that are defining aspects of all wars.

In October 2001, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (PFRPL) presented a panel discussion entitled "Just War Tradition and the New War on Terrorism." During the discussion one of the panelists, Jean Bethke Elshtain, Professor of Social and Political Ethics at the University of Chicago, and co-chair of PFRPL, noted, "just punishment observes restraints." While she is correct in observing that the "Just War Principles" state that "violence used in war must be proportional to the injury suffered" and "weapons used in war must discriminate between combatants and non-combatants," I am concerned that the cloaking of one's actions in the "Just War Principles" can, in the end, serve to perpetuate the myth of war rather than to attack or reveal it. During this panel discussion Professor Stanley Hauerwas of Duke Divinity School observed: "War is an honorific term... people then use war to distinguish war from murder." He goes on to observe, "murder can occur in war." Chris Hedges takes Hauerwas' statements one step further when he observes, "war is exposed for what it is - organized murder" (Hedges, 21).

If attacking the myth of war will lead to a more widespread understanding of the real and full costs of war, then it is an undertaking well worth the pursuit. If our elected representatives do not have a full and complete understanding of the realities of war, then why would we trust them to take our country into war?

Tim O'Brien's collection of short stories The Things They Carried provides a compelling and revelatory glimpse into the realities (or truths) of the experience of the combat soldier both in Vietnam and back home. The memories that won't fade and the images that are forever seared into the brains of the young men in his stories are haunting and gripping and powerful weapons against the myth of war. The artwork on display at the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum offers another line of attack against the myth of war. It's simply impossible not to be moved - shaken, even - when viewing these works of art that cry out with truths about the horrible cost of war. And, Chris Hedges' book, War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning is a powerful indictment of those who wage war and the media who cover them. Hedges observes "the lie in war is almost always the lie of omission. The blunders and senseless slaughter by our generals, the execution of prisoners and innocents, and the horror of the wounds are rarely disclosed, at least during a mythic war, to the public" (22).

When we, as citizens, embrace a myth of war we are blinded by patriotism or nationalism or some other fervor that keeps us from perceiving the true nature of war and its devastating effects on civilian and soldier alike. If we can shatter this myth, replacing it with an honest and sober examination of the costs and potential benefits of war, then we will have the opportunity to make more informed, and, presumably, better decisions regarding when it is appropriate to wage war. If, conversely, we do not attack the hold that the myth of war exerts over our imaginations, then we are like the proverbial ostrich, with our collective heads in the sand - blind to the realities of war and to atrocities committed in our names.

WORKS CITED

Hedges, Chris. Introduction. War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning. By Chris Hedges. New York: Anchor Books, 2003.
O'Brien, Tim. "How to Tell a True War Story." The Things They Carried. New York: Broadway Books, 1990.