Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaigne ...
has manifested in the United States in a variety of forms (such as
peace movements), and in myriad contexts (such as
opposition
Opposition may refer to:
Arts and media
* ''Opposition'' (Altars EP), 2011 EP by Christian metalcore band Altars
* The Opposition (band), a London post-punk band
* '' The Opposition with Jordan Klepper'', a late-night television series on Com ...
to the Civil War and to nuclear weapons). In general, it exists in contrast to an acceptance of the necessity of war for national defense.
Pacifist ideas
In
early America religious groups such as the Brethren,
Mennonites, and
Quakers
Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abili ...
disseminated "antiwar sentiments...fostered by a growing colonial aversion to the carnage of the European imperial wars."
In the 1930s influential theologian
Reinhold Niebuhr
Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr (June 21, 1892 – June 1, 1971) was an American Reformed theologian, ethicist, commentator on politics and public affairs, and professor at Union Theological Seminary for more than 30 years. Niebuhr was one of Americ ...
rejected overly idealist pacifism as "perverse sentimentality," in favor of
just war
The just war theory ( la, bellum iustum) is a doctrine, also referred to as a tradition, of military ethics which is studied by military leaders, theologians, ethicists and policy makers. The purpose of the doctrine is to ensure that a war is ...
.
In contrast to pacifism based on religious beliefs, some in the U.S. have opposed violent conflict on economic grounds, or for other practical, non-religious reasons.
U.S. Congress created the
United States Institute of Peace
The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is an American federal institution tasked with promoting conflict resolution and prevention worldwide. It provides research, analysis, and training to individuals in diplomacy, mediation, and other pea ...
in 1984 to promote international peace through education.
Wartime
War of 1812
The war ended in February 1815. New peace groups formed shortly thereafter: the
New York Peace Society (est. August 1815) and
Massachusetts Peace Society The Massachusetts Peace Society (1815–1828) was an anti-war organization in Boston, Massachusetts, established to "diffuse light on the subject of war, and to cultivate the principles and spirit of peace." Founding officers included Thomas Dawes, ...
(est. December 1815).
Civil War
World War I
World War II
Korean War
The
American Peace Crusade formed in 1951, in opposition to
U.S. involvement in the
Korean War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Korean War
, partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict
, image = Korean War Montage 2.png
, image_size = 300px
, caption = Clockwise from top:{{ ...
.
Vietnam War
2001 Afghanistan War
Iraq War
See also
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Peace movement in the United States
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List of anti-war organizations in the United States
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United States Pacifist Party
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Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) is a nonpartisan international affairs think tank headquartered in Washington D.C. with operations in Europe, South and East Asia, and the Middle East as well as the United States. Founded in ...
(est. 1910)
* ''
War is a Racket
''War Is a Racket'' is a speech and a 1935 short book by Smedley D. Butler, a retired United States Marine Corps Major General and two-time Medal of Honor recipient. Based on his career military experience, Butler discusses how business interest ...
''
*
Pacifism in Germany
The existence of pacifism in Germany has changed over time, with the consistent feature of having diverse groups with a shared belief in an opposition to participating in war. These movements both individually and collectively, have historically be ...
References
Bibliography
Published in 20th century
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* C. Chatfield (1971). ''For peace and justice: Pacifism in America, 1914-1941'' (University of Tennessee Press)
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* L.S. Witner (1984). ''Rebels against war: The American peace movement, 1933-1983'' (Temple University Press, Philadelphia)
1990s
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* R.C. Peace III (1991). ''A just and lasting peace: The US peace movement from the Cold War to desert storm'' (Noble Press, Chicago)
* C. Chatfield (1992). ''The American peace movement: Ideal and activism'' (New York)
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* C. Smith (1996). ''Resisting Reagan: The US-Central America peace movement''. University of Chicago Press
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Published in 21st century
2000s
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* C.F. Howlett (2005). ''History of the American peace movement 1890-2000: The emergence of a new scholarly discipline''
Edwin Mellen Press
The Edwin Mellen Press or Mellen Press is an international independent company and academic publishing house with editorial offices in Lewiston, New York, and Lampeter, Wales. It was founded, in 1972, by the religious studies scholar Profess ...
, New York
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2010s
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External links
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Images
File:IDidntRaiseMyBoyToBeASoldierCoverMorton.jpeg, '' I Didn't Raise My Boy To Be A Soldier'' 1915 sheet music cover, with photo of singer Eddie Morton
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