Conflict Can Have Tragic Consequences for Ordinary People Essay

As humans, conflict pervades every aspect of our lives; it is inevitable. However, conflict varies on a scale. With a minor conflict being an argument between two friends, which therefore has a minor outcome that soon becomes forgotten, or it can be a severe conflict, such as war, which results in a large life-changing result. The most tragic consequence of war is the impact on innocent parties. The brutalities in history, which ordinary people have faced as a result of conflict resulting into war, are repulsive. People caught in such conflicts face death, mutilation, rape, starvation, homelessness, poverty, disease and the breakdown of families. Even more of an act of violence is that these people who are affected are not even involved in the politics of why the war is occurring. They are simply innocent victims of war who must face the consequences of their countries actions, not their own. Because of Japans attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 which killed 2,403 people (68 of which were civilians) America retaliated and decided to put an end to the war by forcing Japan to surrender. To do so, American forces, dropped two nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This attack eventuated to the death of an estimated 200,000 Japanese civilians. Racial, ideological, political and religious conflicts that arise in countries often result in war, with many innocent people being killed in the process of fighting over who is ‘right’. The Holocaust, which was a result of many societies who envied or distrusted Jewish people, and Hitler, who exploited this hatred, secretly attempting genocide in the disguise of subjugating the race which resulted in the death of just under six million Jews. Although the Holocaust is not regarded as a conflict of war because there was no fighting apart from in a few cases, it is considered a racial conflict because of the mass murdering of innocent people who didn’t do anything. Everyone around the world is affected by wars and conflicts because it destroys homes and also drives up the cost of living. The cost of certain items has gone up because the cost of producing them has increased but the labour has decreased due to many being killed or sent into the army. In addition, citizens are affected by having their family members sent off to fight in the war. The change in income can be positive or negative, depending on what job you left behind. For some, being called back into active duty means leaving a 6 figure salary behind. For others, it’s a chance to save up and/or pay off some debts. Another detail often forgotten is that some young families have babies on the way when the father is sent off to war, or very young children. They change so quickly! The fathers are deprived of the joy of watching them grow up, and the children don’t have the advantage of having both parents around to raise them. Conflict created by wars have tragic consequences for ordinary civilians, it could be a positive or negative consequence.